Kakashi Kun
by jejuneepitaph
Summary: He couldn’t fool her, though. She saw, through it all. When she looked at him she saw…the sadness, the wet clothes, his matted hair the way his hands relaxed in a desperate way by his side.  He had been in the rain.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: My first Naruto fanfiction. It's pretty much Sakura/Kakashi centric. Which is pretty much the only place for this pairing. The flow isn't perfect but I was happy enough with it. I am considering a continuation, but I'm still not sure. There's a reference to "Kakashi Gaiden" which if you haven't read—you should. It's awesome. Tell me what you think.

Kakashi-Kun

Sakura breathed in the moist air. It had been so long since she had experienced the delightfully moist weather of her home village. Two months in the airid Sand Village will do that to anyone. She was actually glad about the prospects of rain. She tried not to think about what had transpired there.

Gaara. No, the Kazekage had practically tore himself apart worrying about the people of his village.

Sadly so many didn't make it. No matter how many times she saw it death got to her. She scoffed inwardly she was still so weak. A shinobi shouldn't cry as much as she did. She touched her puffy eyes. The sand village would need much assistance from Konaha in the coming days and months, even years.

The rosy haired woman practically scuffled past the gate and was nodded through by the two familiar shinobi there.

The medical ninja was utterly exhausted mentally and physically. She couldn't wait to be back to her apartment and sleep. _Maybe have a couple drinks first…_

Unfortunately she had to submit her missions report first. Yes, on to speak with the Hokage of the leaf village.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Hokage Tsunade looked out at the very gray overcast sky above the village.

"Very ominous" She mumbled rubbing her chin thoughtfully.

Sakura stepped up beside her.

If Tsunade had she not been trained not to she would have jumped. Her apprentice was very light on her feet the proud woman couldn't help but think a little proudly.

"Hello, Sakura back from the Sand? How did it go?"

She sighed "Very tiring." _You have no idea how bad, just wait until you read this report. _Sakura glanced at it, looking so harmless in its little beige folder. Bastard. _Good grief I am tired, I'm berating a folder! Of all things. _The tired ninja shook her head trying to wake up some brain cells.

Tsunade understanding how Sakura felt did not push the issue further. This report will probably make more work for me. Shot. _I'm never going to get the sleep I need_.

"I put the report on your desk Hokage-sama"

"Very good." She tried to resist sarcasm.

Just then the door to the Hokages' office flew open her two subordinates came rushing in.

"You're needed in the conference room immediately!" they breathed simultaneously.

"What is it?" she narrowed her eyes.

"The, the representative for the hidden Waterfall Village have arrived." One stuttered.

"Early?" she groaned "When am I going to get some sleep? Tell them to stay in the guest room until I'm finished with some important business."

"Hai, Hokagae-sama!" They zipped away quickly.

Sakura gave her an annoyed look.

"You just slept for two hours on your desk"

The blonde gave her a puzzled look but before she could ask any questions she was interrupted.

"Yes!" a very frazzled Shizune, cried out from the doorway as she stormed in.

"Sleeping! When you were supposed to be filling out these papers!" She slammed the rather large pile of papers angrily on the desk.

Tsunade looked a little sheepish, before coming to her senses.

"Yes! To the extremely important meeting!" She cried out motioning to the door now quite ecstatic about the conference. "Hey! You two, wait there!"

Suddenly the crazy blonde popped her head back into her office.

Her face became very serious.

"Sakura" She said softly "Would you please take Kakashi his medicine"

She started a little "Of course"

"Thank you, and Sakura…"

"Yes?" She looked at her teacher expectantly.

"He is still grieving, I'm worried."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be here for the funeral, I've been meaning to get some flowers…" She trailed off in thought.

"You were doing your duty Sakura."

"I know but it just seems." She looked at her teacher sincerely.

"I'll see you later." Tsunade smiled trying to comfort her.

"Don't worry Tsunade-sama" she said assuringly.

"That's the star pupil I know" She gave her a pat on the head before striding quickly out the door. Quick enough that she didn't see Sakura start to cry. The rain had finally began to fall.

"Damn it" Sakura hissed angrily. She wiped the tears from her eyes and stomped out of the office shutting the door a little harder than necessary.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Rain fell lightly on Kakashis' window he stared out into the darkened sky. His hair was still wet from walking in the cold rain. He had needed to visit an old friend. It was so quiet here, he wouldn't readily admit it, but it was very lonely as well.

A knock on his door alerted him to a visitor. He slowly turned around and made his way to the door. He put his hand on the handle his head downcast as he looked at the handle, defeatedly closing his eyes.

Whoever it was knocked lightly again upon the door insisting he open it.

He only opened his one brown eye. Looking back on the end table by his couch where his head protector lay. He was tired, wet and the wound on his chest was not completely healed. It burned and ached, almost as much as his heart did.

"Kakashi?"

"Sakura-chan?" He whispered so lightly it barely reached his own ears. He couldn't imagine what she was doing here.

"Are you there?" Soaked to the bone and shivering she asked already knowing very well that he was there.

She could not have heard him so he cleared his throat with effort. "Sakura-Chan?" his voiced cracked, as he was unable to hide his sadness, his hand tightened on the handle. He wouldn't cry. He had promised himself he wouldn't cry. His hand on the handle was shaking. He released his grasp on the handle.

Sakura outside the door saw the handle quake slightly.

He heard her sigh sadly.

"Please, Tsunade sent me." the sonance of her heavy voice through the dark sounded so caring and warm.

_So she couldn't make it, so she sends you?_

Kakashi stared up at the door placing a hand on the smooth dark wood.

He bit his lip.

"I can't" the tears were obvious in his voice to her.

"Kakashi…" she choked "Don't do this."

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry—"

"No don't, please don't," she cried her voice slightly muffled.

"I have your medicine, just for a moment. Open up. Please. Let me in."

The handle slowly turned.

The door eased open and the proud jounin the infamous copy ninja of Konaha stood there in the dark of his home still holding the knob of the door tightly looking strong. He couldn't fool her, though. She saw, through it all. When she looked at him she saw…the sadness, the wet clothes, his matted hair the way his hands relaxed in a desperate way by his side. He had been in the rain.

_Visiting Friends. _

She took a hesitant step towards him. Slowly she reached up and rested a hand on his shoulder. Then reached her arm around wrapping her arm around his neck.

Kakashi stood unmoving. "Sakura-chan. I'm fine. Don't worry about me." she leaned back resting both hands on his solid shoulders.

She gazed at him now; looking at that fake smile she had seen before and had come to attain its painful meaning.

Tears welled up in her dark emerald eyes.

"Don't try that. I'm not a kid anymore." She bore right into his brown eye and red sharingan with her green pools.

The smile melted of his face the crinkles in his mask disappeared.

He looked away moving out of her touch grabbing her wrist lightly, removing her hand from his shoulder.

"I know." He waved it off.

"Kakashi. Please don't hide from me. I am your friend. No matter what." She reached out her hand for his mask.

"No, I can't"

She lowered her hand and her gaze. Holding her arm insecurely.

The rose haired ninja looked up defiantly. "Kakashi!" she started holding up a fist. She grabbed his retreating form by the shoulder making him face her with his placid expression.

"There was nothing you could have done. Please don't hurt yourself so much…" her voice broke as she realized what she had said.

"I'm not hurting myself Sakura—" 

"Liar!" She breathed raggedly.

"You know how much it hurts to lose somebody…" she continued then trailing off sadly.

He glanced her way "In the way that you lost your—"

He raised a warning hand "Don't you dare Sakura. Don't you dare speak of that."

She gave him a conflicted angry stare "Stop pretending to be so indignant!"

"I'll be and do, whatever the hell I want!" He yelled icily slicing his hand across the air violently, his breathing heavy, his eyes wild.

Sakura looked at him as if she had been stabbed in the heart.

"Kakashi…" she uttered quietly looking away.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't…I shouldn't have gotten angry like that." Her ran his shaking fingers through his damp hair remorsefully.

She took steps forward across the gape between them she grasped his shoulders tightly. He tried to turn away

"No." she whispered quietly as she reached up pulling back his defense, the mask fell lightly around his neck. Leaving his sad face bare.

A moment of tension passed as they realized what had happened.

_You're such a handsome man. No this is Kakashi, my friend. Even so I can't help but want to touch his lips…_

Her eyes studied his face she resisted the urge to touch his lips, instead she stopped her hand by his face and reached for his hair trying to tame the naturally gray locks of hair that had fallen into his face. He gazed back at her not shying from her touch.

Why are you acting like this Sakura-chan? I thought you might kiss me… 

"You act like everyone else's lives are the only ones that matter. I admire the chivalry. But you must value your life too" Her hand fell to his jaw tracing it. He shivered visibly.

He glanced at her stubbornly then grabbed her wrist.

"There's nothing wrong with mine." She said accusingly.

"What are you saying?" his voice shook a little.

"My wrists." She shook from his grasp and enlacing his hand in hers pulling back the sleeve of his black shirt.

She gasped at the revealing jagged marks scattered along his wrists.

He was angry but the shame overcame that.

"Don't do that." He whispered pulling the sleeve back to cover the scars turning away from her.

"Are you punishing yourself? For not saving them?" She asked her eyes moving rapidly trying to see through him.

His back still to her he quaked and pulled his fingers into fist. Something feral took over as he brought his hands forward pushing her against the wall pinning her there.

He looked hard into her wide shining green eyes.

"Yes!" he yelled "Yes!" he breathed in harshly. Hot tears began streaming sullenly down his face.

"That is why I did it! Is that…!" He paused now looking into her presently calm face with confusion. His grip loosened he could not keep his eyes on hers anymore he looked away quietly. Relinquishing his hold on her shoulders. Dropping his hands to his side.

"…What you wanted to hear?" the shinobi finished as he turned his attention back to her..

"No." she whispered ready to speak again until he cut her off.

"Then what do you want from me?" he murmured.

"I want you to sit down so I can change those bloody bandages.

"My…" he looked at her where his chest was against her, noticing that blood had seeped through his shirt onto hers.

"Sit down Kakashi-san" She pushed him down onto his couch. "Take off your shirt."

"This just got weird." He said as he removed his shirt he grimaced a little realized it really hurt.

"I'll get your medicine for the pain." She reached into her the medical case on her thigh.

"Here I'll go get some water"

"No, this is fine." He grabbed the pill bottle from her hand brushing her palm ever so slightly. She gave him slightly irritated look but proceeded to grab the medical scissors from her pouch. He tensed as the chilly metal touched on his stomach.

"Hey now." Kakashi said a little nervously.

"Relax, I've done this tons of times."

He relaxed a little after she assured him a couple times more.

The medical ninja took a sharp intake of breath at seeing his torn chest. The stitches were oozing very profusely.

"Does it look bad doctor?" his tone was almost light hearted.

"Don't try to be funny Hatake." She scolded at how lightly he was taking his wounds.

"What did you do? Go for a sprint with Gai?" she snapped a little irked.

"Actually—"

"Never mind, don't answer that, for the sake of my sanity." She cut him off motioning with her hand.

"Sit up a little, okay? Sakura instructed quietly.

Her fingers worked the bandages around him neatly and professionally. So perfect with such ease.

"Alright, all done! How does it feel?"

Kakashi groaned "Horrible."

"Sorry. Healing ninjutsu can only do so much Kakashi-kun"

There was a frozen moment.

"What did you just call me?"

She looked bewildered.

"Nothing, what are you talking about?" She looked around nervously.

"Never mind" he smiled leaning back sleepily

"I'm tired."

"That's the effects of the medicine." She said plaintively.

_Probably the reason why your acting so loopy too._

"Was it what you expected?"

"Was what, what I expected?"

"My face?"

"It's only a face a mother would love" she smirked.

Kakashi feigned a hurt look as he leaned back onto the couch grunting a little.

He opened one eye to look at her. He motioned her with his hand to come closer. She complied. Then as easily as anything he planted a peck on her cheek.

"Good night…Sakura-chan" he muttered.

She blushed deeply holding her face.

"Good night, Kakashi…" she breathed deeply "Kun"

But he was already asleep.

END


	2. Fall

_A/N I tried to improve with your suggestions in mind. Thank you much for your wonderful reviews! Hopefully, this chapter doesn't disappoint._

_Please Don't Leave Me!_

Sakura stretched her arms above her head and yawned deeply. She swung her legs around and placed them on the floor the tired ninja truly looked exhausted. Her hair sticking in funny directions and dark circles under eyes. She hadn't even changed into her pajamas last night, it didn't seem worth the effort.

"Sleep just isn't as good as it used to be" she mumbled scratching her head and smacking her lips together. She made a disgusted face; her breath wasn't exactly minty-fresh.

Lazily she reached to turn her alarm clock to face her the bright blue numbers read Six, zero, zero.

"Six in the morning." She moaned

Flopping back on her bed "Too bad. I'll never get back to sleep now." She groaned looking up at her ceiling, not failing to notice the collecting colony of cobwebs.

_One thing about growing up and moving out on your own, you have to clean yourself. If only mom could see her now…Mother why did you leave me? _

"I will not be doing that today." She grumbled feeling sorry for herself was the last thing on her list…not to mention the cleaning. "I'll clean later…" That is of course what she said everyday.

After just a few more precious moments she forced her self up to the window to push back the beige curtains, and almost had a heart attack. At seeing the dark form crouched on her roof.

"Kakashi-san!" she squeaked back stepping rapidly holding a hand over her heart, lest it leap out of her chest. She tripped on the leg of her bed just barely managing to grab the post to steady her self.

She whirled back around focusing on the window she had to hold defending arm out to block the suns beaming morning rays.

He smiled behind his mask waving at her behind the windowpane.

The frazzled shinobi gritted her teeth as she stomped to the window.

She flung the sliding window to the side the morning air filling her heaving lungs.

"Kakashi-san! What in the world are you doing on my roof?" she breathed her heart still pounding.

He regarded her for moment as if considering his response carefully.

"I came to see you. That's all," He said shrugging.

Sakura gave him somber look. "Normal people usually use the door."

He shrugged "Who said I was normal?"

She put her hands on her hips. "Whatever."

A silence passed between them.

Kakashi cleared his throat to say farewell but before he could speak she interrupted him.

"So, you want to come in?" She asked a little hesitantly not really sure what to say.

He shifted a little, still in the crouched position.

"Only if you want me to." The jounin said in a shockingly boyish way. It was almost comical to her.

"I wouldn't ask if I didn't" she glared at him impatiently trying to hide her amused smile. "You don't just come to my apartment, scare the hell out of me, and leave."

"Me, scare you?" he emphasized the 'you' "Well, you haven't glanced in any mirrors lately." He finished smartly.

Sakura straightened up indignantly.

"Well." She crossed her arms across her chest about to say something else but seemed to think the better of it.

"Have you had breakfast yet?" she exhaled.

The fellow shinobi gave her a look "No."

He started to move towards the window when he was stopped by her outstretched hand.

"There's no need for that Sakura."

She shook her head disapprovingly, pink locks brushing her cheeks "No, I won't have you exerting yourself, not on my watch."

Albeit hesitantly the proud ninja took her hand. Unexpectedly, Kakashi found himself falling. The pressure on his foot indicated his carelessness, had caused him to catch the windowpane. The pink haired shinobi who didn't expect the weight of Kakashi's entire body stumbled back. The trained ninja was prepared to catch himself but the tearing in his chest prevented any such actions so he could only flail his arms quite uselessly.

They landed in a jumbled heap on the floor.

For a moment he laid unmoving on top of her. His head in the crook of her neck, he was a little too embarrassed to move, and a mite unable. Not that he would admit that.

Sakura swallowed her eyes like saucers. "I told you that you…that you, couldn't be moving around with that chest wound. S-see what happens when you don't listen to your d-doctor" she stuttered nervously. When he didn't respond or move Sakura got a little worried.

Did he pass out? 

"Kakashi?" she asked anxiously.

"I don't want to talk about it" he mumbled into her hair. The sound of his voice so close made her spine tingle. Sakura tensed "I think we need to move."

"Just give me a moment." He said a little dolefully.

"Are you serious?" she squeaked a little disbelievingly.

Kakashi sighed "Deadly" Sakura considered the moment briefly before saying anything.

I wonder… 

"Did you take your medicine this morning?"

There was a lengthy pause.

"No."

"You're an idiot." She muttered

"So?"

Sakura moved her mouth but found no ready retort.

She breathed deeply "Alright, I'm going to help you up—"

"Yes, because we know how swimmingly that went last time." He muttered

"Alright, you big idiot we'll just stay like this forever then." She snapped.

"Works for me" He snapped back. For a few stubborn seconds the two lay in silence.

Sakura exhaled in defeat.

"Alright, since we're both adults we'll work together like the mature individuals we are, agreed?"

He made a sound that sounded acquiescent enough. "You pull your knees up and I'll support your shoulders, okay?" 

"Fine" he replied shortly.

She supported his shoulders and lifted him up, gently.

Painfully the silver haired ninja tried to also support himself with his arms, but he faltered and his weight shifted forward his head inclined a just enough that his eye came in line with the woman beneath him.

"Sorry" he whispered. She smiled a small reassuring smile "It's alright."

She pushed him up off her as he pulled his knees up under himself with noticeable effort. They sat on their knees face to face.

Sakura looked bewildered for a moment trying to stop her pounding heart.

_How do I feel? A little shaky…and prickly all over? Definitely. _

Kakashi smoothed his hair holding his chest a little.

The medical ninja gave him an annoyed look "You should be taking your medication, it's supposed to help with the stiffness."

He leaned back against the plain white wall underneath the window. He could feel a cold sweat breaking out on his forehead.

He exhaled deeply "Usually I bounce back quicker than this, maybe I'm getting old."

She harrumphed "Yeah, right "

_You'll be around forever._

He glanced at her with his one eye then scoffed, which escalated into a cough. He looked at his hand bewildered at the sight of blood.

Sakura gasped "Kakashi-san!" she was by his side in an instant feeling his forehead.

He looked at her as she fazed in and out of focus.

"Poison." She breathed sharply.

_Poison_ he heard her yell as he slipped out of consciousness.

_Figures. _Kakashi thought contemptuously.

She fumed for a moment looking at his passed out form.

How could the medical ninja that tended him not catch this! I should have noticed last night! Idiot, stupid dumb moron. 

Before she could stop herself the tears were falling down her cheeks her stomach prickled with fear.

"Hold on damn it! You hear me! Kakashi you had better not leave me!" she sobbed ripping open his jounin vest pulling his black shirt up.

His eye opened lazily.

"I always knew I'd run out of luck" he mumbled.

She felt renewed tears on her face as she focused her chakra on his chest.

_Slow it down. _

"Don't talk" she croaked. He blacked out again, his chest heaved unevenly.

"I need a damn scroll" she almost screamed getting frantic.

No, calm down. You have to be calm down, breath, find out what the poison is and then… 

_Please, oh please don't leave me. Not like this._


	3. What Have you Done?

A/N I hesitated to post this, being as it's so short.

Anyway, Thank you all for the reviews. Here's chapter 3!

_What Have You Done?_

Using her strength the cerise haired girl lifted her comrade into her arms and focused all the chakra she could possibly muster to her feet. "Be with me fourth" she whispered desperately hoping to get some of the yellow flashes speed by some divine will.

She jumped up through her window landing on the roofs stone shingles not even thinking twice as they crushed beneath her feet. Her shoes pounded hard on the pebbled streets of her village. She splashed into a puddle soaking her clothes, she held him more tightly to her chest willing herself forward faster.

_Come on move!_

For what seemed like eternity she finally slammed through the metal green front doors of Konaha hospital, breathing hard but not stopping. A startled mother and her son cowered out of her way as she sped past them.

Shizune, who was filling out forms behind the hospitals front help desk, jumped at seeing Sakura burst through the door.

The raven-haired assistant rushed to her side "What happened?" she asked running up beside the virtually sprinting shinobi who was quickly running out of breath.

"I need the antidote for arsenic based liquid poison red, in the emergency room. Stat,"she choked between breaths of air. An understanding look passed through the other medics face.

"I see." She responded also sprinting into action.

"Hurry." She said determinedly trying to stop her tears, to no avail.

The tears came unbidden down her rosy cheeks as she laid the dying man on the operating rooms silver table.

"I.V.!" She barked at a blonde medic with a tablet.

"Yes, Sakura-sama!" She obeyed in a split second was by the patients side pressing the needle into the unconscious mans arm.

Sakura opened the scroll for the antidote smoothly without pause after it was handed to her. She glanced over at the blonde medic.

"I need that blood sample!" she barked

Quickly the medic handed the syringe to her. She with practiced eased inserted the needle into his bare arm and withdrew the blood.

She dropped the tainted blood onto the scroll. Shizunes' shoulders dropped "No effect"

Sakura bit her lip "I was wrong…" Sakura breathed "How can I be wrong! Not this time. Damn," She cursed.

The dark haired shinobi at her side began barking out orders to the other three assistant medics "Quick you bring water. You run--"

She slammed the scroll to the table the bang echoed through the room stopping all activity "NO!" Sakura shouted. Interrupting Shizunes' orders "There's no time. For anything like that," She stated plainly clenching and unclenching her fists.

"What else do you want to do, there's no other way!" she shouted angrily.

Sakura regarded her with sparkling jade eyes.

"That won't make a difference! I can tell when it's to late!" her shoulders heaved up and down lividly "But" she continued "There is one other way" she breathed. The raven haired medic started "No, Sakura, he wouldn't want that." She assured. 

She pressed her hands above dying shinobis' bare chest where his heart was slowly losing beats. "Well, I do" she said with unwavering determination. "No matter what, I will not lose again,"

The fellow shinobi grabbed her arm "Sakura I can't let you do this."

A loud screech from the emergency rooms monitors grabbed their attentions. "We're losing him!" The blonde woman said urgently. Sakura clenched her teeth.

"If you care about me at all, you'll let me do this!" she growled her body in place, unmoving and resolute.

Shizune looked down a look of acceptance on her face. "I hope…" she choked as her throat tightened, and she looked up into the emerald eyes of her friend "…you know what you're doing." She finished the worry evident in her voice.

Sakura didn't waste any time with reassurances "This will give me three days, three days for you to find the antidote." With an unwillingness to yield, the shinobi, her heart beating painfully quick in her chest "Starting exchange" she said with; if it were possible, more determination than before.

"But you don't know that for sure!" she insisted.

"I'll have a better chance than Kakashi! And if I had noticed sooner…"

"No, there is no need for you _both_ to die." She tried to convince her to abandon this craziness. 

"If he does, I might as well!" she declared without so much as a moments hesitation.

This borderline confession for something much more intimate, than she could have thought, left Shizune speechless.

One of the white-coated medical ninjas came beside Shizune. "What is she doing Shizune-sama?" she clenched her fists as the tears trailed down her cheeks "She's performing a sacrificial ninjitsu. That will transfer the wounds of a fellow comrade to that of the person performing the ninjitsu….from Kakashi-sans body to hers, only the most talented of shinobi can perform it, and when they do, it takes a toll on their body so great." She clenched her teeth and regarded the other medic "So great, that the she may die immediately after the transfer."

There was a pause the other ninja looked at her "What's the survival rate of this ninjitsu?"

She sighed sharply "Only one other, has survived this ninjitsu."

The other medic did a double take then looked back at Sakura with something akin to reference, and sadness.

The white clad ninja looked back at her "Who" they asked.

A smile of chagrin formed on her face "The one and only Tsunade-sama" she furrowed her brows her eyes shining.

Sakura held her hands. Her eyes shut with effort "Transfer ninjitsu!" she cried. A moment passed slowly as she felt the burning pain in her chest so painful she almost lost her concentration, but by shear desire of will she pushed on. Even as her legs were beginning to giving way under her. Spots swam in her vision. _Thump. Thump. Thump. My heart. _

Before she fell she managed to latch on to the soft cotton white sheet on his bed. For another second she caught a glimpse of him opening his eyes. For a moment she let a smile pass over her rapidly paling features before she fell back into Shizunes arms. "It worked" She mumbled almost incoherently. Before she went totally limp.

Shizune grasped her shoulders holding her wrist. "She's alive!" _for now._

"Hurry she's fading fast. Get me a table in here!" she cried out the medics sped into action. Kakashi was a little dazed as he looked around he landed his eyes on the woman being lifted to the table beside him.

"Sakura….chan" He stammered just barely noticing a pink flash of hair.

Two white coats appeared beside his medical cot. He felt tingly all over his body.

"We're going to get you out of here okay Kakashi-sama" the one woman said soothingly.

Kakashi sat bolt upright.

"No! I'm not going anywhere." He muttered, dread clutching his heart like a cold metallic vise.

"I'm going to have to ask you to calm down." The male medic said plaintively trying to subdue him by grabbing his shoulders.

The copy ninjas heart pounded rapidly in his chest, he wasn't about to leave here. He outstretched an arm pushing her aside and without pause dropping off the bed which he unceremoniously lost his balance and fell down to his knees then to his palms. They came beside him trying to grab his arms. He shrugged them off. "Get away. Out of my way." He grumbled indignantly.

They complied especially after a little persuasion courtesy of a small glimpse of his sharingans menacing focus.

He tried to move quickly but could only managed to stumble to the side of the bed were she lay. He leaned beside Sakura and without pause took her hand in his. "What have you done?" he questioned despairingly, reaching forward to stroke her hair and running a finger down her warm pale cheek. He noticed the crimson line forming on her chest.

_How could you? You fool. _


	4. Solemn Vow

Solemn Vow

"The wound is mostly healed and she's stable," Shizune breathed with relief as she leaned over the shining rails of the bed in emotional exhaustion.

A voice sounded over the speakers "Medics report."

Shizune nodded her approval at the white clad medics who exited.

Kakashi leaned over Sakuras' bedside.

"I'm going to fix you Sakura, I swear. Do not die on me. Please." he uttered. 

The green doors to the emergency room slammed open.

The fifth strode in quickly "I came as soon as I heard." Tsunade said sprinting over to her former apprentices' side.

Kakashi not taking his eyes off of her, let go of her hand reluctantly as he moved off to the side still leaning on the bed rails for support by her head. The Hokage examined the seemingly sleeping shinobi.

"Sakura…why do you always have to play the tough girl, that's my job. I would gladly have taken your place." She sighed feeling Sakuras' forehead forlornly.

She observed her assistant critically her face furrowed with distress she tensed letting out a deep heartfelt breath before speaking "The poison in her body will slowly devour her organs like a cancer, starting with her muscles" Shizune stiffened visibly her eyes grew wide with fright.

Her mouth worked before she could form words "We should take measures to remove—"

She cut her off " It can not be removed by any means so without the antidote there is nothing we can do. Therefore there is nothing we can do just waiting here."

She studied the brave shinobi a moment longer before motioning at Shizune with her hand "Follow me Shizune." Shizune jumped "What about Sakura?" She protested. "What measures are we going to take?"

The assistant didn't understand "No! We have to try!" She insisted. "Tsunade-sama! We can't just leave—"

The hokage scowled. "Stop!" she closed her eyes. "I've already seen this poison before. There. Is. No. Way." She concluded, unequivocally.

The two woman turned to a very a reproving voice "How can you recognize the poison, but not know how to procure the antidote?" Kakashi questioned severely.

"You see, it's more than just a poison, it's a curse, as well. The only way we can get the antidote is with the blood of the person who created the poison." She explained patiently

The raven-haired shinobi swallowed. They seemed to know the odds of actually finding the antidote now, and stating that very fact remained a heavy taboo above all their heads.

They were all thinking of the only person that could have poisoned Kakashi, and finding him would take time to begin with.

Kakashi broke the silence "How long do we have?" his voice cracked audibly.

She looked at him "Five days at the most, but the longer we wait, the worse it gets"

As if on cue Sakura moaned and shifted on her bed.

Suddenly Tsunade whirled around to face the gray haired jounin "Kakashi."

He was immediately very attentive.

"I want you to get dressed, and go home."

His eyes widened in surprise then lowered into a fierce glare.

"I can't do that. Form a team, and put me on it."

She harrumphed "In that condition? I don't think so Kakashi."

He gave her side ways glance "I'm fine."

She focused on him knowingly "Do you know what you just went through?"

He shifted "Sakura just…I'm fine now." He said growing a little agitated at the very thought of resting at home when Sakura was here…_dying._

"Fine." She smiled smugly pointing to the floor "Walk a straight line. Then I swear, I will let you go."

"Something so simple?" he said stoically. His lifted his foot defiantly with confidence, it came down in front of him then shook and angled awkwardly and to his utter frustration he fell. His head snapped forward knocking off his forehead protector, which, clattered to the floor by Shizune's feet.

Tsunade put her hands on her hips staring the jounin down "Even the great Sannin Jariaya took two full days to recover from the transfer jutsu. Rest. My best in Black ops will do their job, I promise"

Kakashi looked up from the floor both eyes narrowed. "No." he stated firmly all but yelling.

He forced him self to stand up.

Tsunade rubbed her forehead "Kakashi…don't do this."

"Give. Me. Another. Chance." He growled raggedly. _I swore. I promised_.

She remained silent focusing on him differently now. She had never seen him so emotional. He seemed like a different man to her just now.

He put his hand on one outstretched knee and forced himself to stand. Valiantly he held back a grunt of pain. His feet were planted beneath him now. He gave a meaningful glance towards the bed where she laid. And this time he took a step forward, it did not shake.

Tsunade was regarding him much more attentively now the annoyance hand been replaced by rapt interest.

One step.

Shizune and Tsunade watched him silently.

Two step. Just as straight.

He walked another then another gaining confidence until he was standing a breadth away from the hokage of Konaha.

"Put me on it." He said strongly, eyes focused. Even though she was tough she was still slightly unnerved by the focus of the sharingan in his eye.

She breathed deeply regarding him. "I keep my word. Be ready to leave and meet your team at the main gate tomorrow morning," She finished.

He looked like he might protest the wait, for a moment, but grasped onto reason and bowed respectfully "Hai, Hokage-sama"

She studied him a moment longer before motioning at Shizune with her hand "Lets go."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama" she responded tearing her eyes away from Kakashi then swiftly bending down to retrieve the lost forehead protector.

As she followed the fifth out the door she stopped in front of Kakashi holding out his lost item. "Here Kakashi-san" she said quietly.

"Thank you, very much, Shizune-san." He bowed taking it into his hands; she bowed back and left between the swinging doors.

A silent cold moment passed. The shinobis legs buckled beneath him he stumbled violently into the only thing near by, which, was his abandoned I.V. stand, that, unfortunately was on wheels. It slid out of his grasp and clattered to the floor loudly, he followed behind landing with it in a piteous heap. The stand managed to scratch his bare chest enough to draw a line of blood. He tried to stand but faltered.

Outside the door Shizune and Tsunade, striding in the hall shut their eyes and ears to the crashing noise emitting from the room.

The silver haired ninja breathed in deeply and tensed his body with resolve.

"I'm going to stand." He said to himself. "I'm going to fight."

_I keep my word too. _

Kakashi pushed himself. And stood. He took two jerky steps towards her then again gained smoothness until he leaned himself upon her bedside.

"Don't you dare give up on me." He pleaded grasping heavily on the beds edge. "I'm going to do whatever it takes."

* * *

Kakashi lay on his bed in his room. He had by some spiritual grace made it home and stumbled to bed. The sweat was rolling off of him profusely; he had even taken off his mask so he could breath easier, if only a little bit.

No matter how bad he felt he could not sleep, not with the adrenaline pumping through his veins like this, knowing that every second he spent resting she was fighting off death. Deliriously he found him self focusing on the past.

_She had begun sobbing Kakashi watched her. His heart breaking with every tear, and every sob._

"_Sakura-chan, there was nothing you could have done." He tried to soothe her, though; his heart was breaking as well. _

_She tightened her limp hands into fists "They're still out there Kakashi-sensei, they have all that dangerous power…" _

_Kakashi ran his fingers through his silver hair exhaling depressedly. _

"_I know. Though it's not much consolation, Naruto's sacrifice prevented them from getting the nine-tails. He died a hero." Those words rang so bitterly hollow. _

"_Evil has a way of winning sometimes," he added._

"_And when does righteousness win?" _

_On that he was not so experienced. "I don't know," he said hopelessly looking away from her. _

_Sakuras green eyes glittered with more tears "Even Sasuke…" _

"_He chose the wrong path…the path of an avenger." He replied with deep regret heavy in his voice, as his hands fell from her shaking frame. _

"_Yes, In the end evil won, Orochimaru the Akatsuki, won." She lamented as she fell to her knees onto the freshly piled soil. _

"_In the end, Naruto, I could not protect you, or Sasuke…" She wanted to scream, and shout, and hate, but she couldn't bring herself to stop crying long enough, to muster the energy. _

"_Kakashi-san! I—1" she choked desperately as he fell to her side and held her in his arms. He brought her close as she gripped him tightly. While she sobbed in his arms out of view, he cried._

The jounin placed his hands on his face tracing the scar on his eye. He knew what he had to do; Sakura would live, no matter what the cost. He would find Kabuto, and this time…he wouldn't lose.

_No matter what. _

* * *

Tsunade sat in her office at the hokages' desk, which seemed to grow more and more cluttered everyday, driving the blonde crazy, though; it did seem to bother her assistant more.

She let out a breath of frustration, throwing the papers down and looking up at the moon in the sky shining brightly that is, until a very large dark cloud interceded.

"So…"

The woman whirled in her chair.

"Jariaya!" She gasped "What are you doing here…I thought" she examined him closely. He had taken the recent death of his apprentice very hard. Without even waiting for the question he answered.

"I changed my mind."

There was a long silence. Jariaya broke the quiet.

"I want to know why you hesitated to put Kakashi on the team, when you know he's the only one who could possibly use the very force that could save your beloved apprentice."

He focused on her waiting. When she didn't say anything he spoke.

"You gave up, didn't you?" he said his voice gravelly.

She frowned "No, I understood!" she shouted. "I understood she had given her life to save him, and that if he were to merely die after she sacrificed so much that it would all be fore absolutely nothing!" she bellowed throwing the chair out from beneath her.

He scoffed. "You have lost faith in your shinobi." He glowered at her.

The anger was replaced by surprise as she sat back down in her chair.

She looked away from him focusing somewhere else considering what he had said "Are you on the team, or not?" she said quietly.

Without hesitation he answered "I am."

He turned to leave. But was stopped by the Tsunades' voice.

"What made you reconsider my request?"

He only smiled sadly and shut the door behind him. Leaving her alone, for only the one of many times.

* * *

A/N

I apologize for lateness.

Thank you for the reviews!


	5. Sacrifice

_Sacrifice_

Kakashi awoke up with a start, eyes wide, as lightning flashed through darkness of his room. Thunder rumbled like a hungry beast warning those of its wrathful nature. Lighting forked above the sky as rain began pelting loudly on his window. His head turned to look up at the ticking clock above his door. The lightning flashed again lighting the room.

_One in the morning._

He rubbed his face forlornly. The muscles in his body protested loudly as he turned around to sit on the edge of the bed.

He started to stand up and had to hold back a yell of pain as his muscles burned a tore. He staggered in the dark to the bathroom and fumbled with the door to the medicine cabinet above the porcelain sink. Through the flashes of pain it finally clicked open, his hands shook as he accidentally knocked items into the sink, every noise sent pain shooting through his head. When he found the bottle of medicine he was looking for it slipped from his unsteady hands and fell on the floor. He leaned on the sinks cold edge, and closed his eyes.

* * *

Tsunade stood behind her desk in the dark of her office, holding onto the back of her chair still remembering, and thinking about what Jariaya had said. "You have lost faith in your shinobi" 

The opening of the door interrupted her troubled thoughts.

Tsunade looked up "Shizune." she deadpanned unable to come up with the energy to say more.

"You really should have the lights on," the medical shinobi scolded tiredly flipping the switch by the door. Light filled the room but it didn't seem to reach the fifths face.

Shizune approached her desk.

"I brought you some papers." She said quietly, gently laying them down on a desk totally void of the usual stacks of documents. She noticed this with a sigh but said nothing, she knew without asking that the hokage did not sleep last night.

They both turned to the door as it screeched opened.

A darkly clad shinobi entered smoothly into the room.

The fifth sighed with relief.

"Ah, I'm glad you got back in time from your mission, Sai," Tsunade said with genuine respite.

He nodded, bowing respectively.

"Tell me what happened to Sakura-san." His blue eyes focused sincerely on the blonde woman.

She looked down closing her eyes. "This mission will not be easy…"

* * *

Kakashi lowered shakily to his knees crawling on the floor he finally grasped the glass bottles cool shape in his shaking hand. Leaning back onto the tub he poured the contents in his hand. 

"…_Your medication should help with the pain and stiffness" _

He read the side hazily. Then in one swift movement swallowed a handful.

* * *

The rain refused to let up and streams of water flowed over the pebbled streets and threatened to flood the village. Jariaya arrived at the village gate, observing that mud had already begun to cover the roads pebble surface. 

He turned his head to the left and noticed that someone was already there. "Your names Sai, Right?" Jariaya asked the rather tall individual dressed in black ops uniform standing by the gate, his arms crossed his face shadowed in black. The rain had completely soaked both their clothes.

Sai looked up his blue eyes focusing strait into Jariayas' brown "Yes, that is my name. You must be Jariaya-sama. I know all about you." He replied shortly.

The old sannin didn't look surprised "Just what I would expect from a black-op." Jariaya smiled expectantly. For a moment only the pelting of rain filled the silence between the two.

Both their attentions were turned to the sound of shoes scraping on the pebbled stones right inside the gate, Kakashi emerged from behind the wall, arms crossed "So you're both here now, is this my team?"

Sai and Jaraiya exchange looks. Jariaya gave the silver haired ninja a stern look on observing the mans stature. Knowing very well, what the jounin had recently experienced he tried to soften his features a little before speaking "Tsunade made sure to put me in charge, Kakashi."

The sannin regarded Kakashi crossing his arms across his broad chest.

Sai stepped forward. "Black ops has already verified that the location of the previous mission involving Kakashi-sama, is clean, and that where the original sound village was located…Orochimaru has been sighted along with his counterpart, Kabuto." He finished trying to register their reactions.

Kakashi turned around facing north. "Then." He said. "We should go there," he said already running that way.

Jariaya bared his teeth "Lets move out," He said irritation tainting his voice.

Sai nodded and they followed suite.

_One half day since she was poisoned. Then two whole days already just to reach the sound. That leaves us with two and a half days at best. We're running out of time. _

Kakashi thought angrily.

The older man watched the obviously very agitated shinobi in front of him. His eyes widened in surprise as Kakashi faltered and lost his footing and fell. He just barely managed to catch the branch with a very shaky arm.

The old man hurried to that branch and caught the imperiled ninjas arm just as his hand lost its grip on the branch. "Be—" he didn't even finish, the silver haired shinobi bounded off without a so much as a word. The scorned rescuer came up beside Kakashi.

"You usually thank somebody when they save your ass." He said bitingly. Kakashi responded not even glancing at him, his visible eye narrowed "It wasn't necessary" He said coldly. The sannin tensed in surprise, this wasn't the kind of behavior he had would expect. Even with his former student in peril. The Kakashi he knew would remain stoic and in control.

Perhaps there is something I don't quite understand is he feeling that guilty? He must be, I know I did when Tsunade… 

While lost in his thoughts Jariaya had slowed down and fallen behind. With a deep breath he hurried forward to catch up.

The group of three shinobi, already soaking wet hair matted into their faces stopped short in a clearing surrounded by trees.

Kakashi put his hand to the muddy ground summoning the ninja dogs.

"Ah, Kakashi how is it?" the pudgy dog asked. Kakashi all but ignored the greeting allowing the dog to reexamine the dark features of his summoner. The crouching ninja took a vile from his green vest.

"This contains Sakura Harunos blood and the one who poisoned her, there is no trail. He is most likely to the north, and in that radius." He finished stoically. The brown dog looked at him a little unsurely "We'll try our best…" the shinobi held it in the circle allowing the dogs to sniff it.

They split off in different directions quickly.

Hours passed like days as they pushed ahead keeping the ninja dogs within scope. The drizzling rain didn't help matters much.

The three ninja noticed the pack of dogs gathered in the clearing by a towering cliff. They hit the mud by the dogs, splattering their uniforms. A large cliff towered beside their location like a reminder of their arduous task. They didn't really need a report, upon seeing the ninja dog's wet drooping heads.

The brown one approached the gray haired ninja sadly "I'm sorry Kakashi…" the brown mutt told him remorsefully. Kakashi didn't bother to answer closed his visible eye, and made the sign with his hands, and released them.

His body shook as he stared where the ninja dog had been. Jariaya came forward.

"Guess we'll have to—" Jariaya started.

He was cut off abruptly by the silver haired jounin who had fallen to his knees.

"No." He said sternly. "I know another way."

Sai came up to Kakashi, intrigued. "And what would that be, Kakashi-sama?" he questioned.

The old ninja behind them answered for Kakashi. "He plans to summon him, don't you Kakashi?" the old mans hazel eyes focused on the jounin.

When he didn't answer the legendary sannin continued. "You plan to summon him, knowing the risks?" thunder rumbled loudly in the swirling expanse of dark clouds and the rain pelted down harder, as if to stress the old mans words.

The desperate man looked over at him "I do." He answered simply shakily standing. His hand hovered over his thigh pack where the rest of the medication from Sakura was.

_Just a little longer. _

Kakashi bit his finger and threw his hand to the ground. Lightening struck loudly flashing in the sky.

Ebony symbols grew on the muddy ground, pulsated and began to glow red.

A ragged deep voice penetrated the woods around them.

"Who would dare to summon me?" it hissed it's blood red eyes glowing through the smoke swirling around his form. "It has been thousands since…" it growled.

The jounin answered "Hatake Kakashi, I need you to find someone for me." Both his eyes were open and were focused on the clearing smoke.

The form became clear the large black demon dog was revealed it's large glowing eyes focused down from its towering height to the silver haired man. It laughed. "And you know my price?"

The summoner looked bravely into the demons face "I do." He answered without pause.

Sai jumped in shock. The boys body begged to move forward but found that he could not, it seemed futile. Obviously, Kakashi he had given this much thought. Logic dictated he not move.

The dark demon cocked its head narrowing its eyes. His face moved into a wolfish smile revealing sharp, vicious teeth. The ninja looked up at the ebony demon as it bent down placing its nose by his head and sniffing. The smell of its rank breath enveloped the shinobi who stood unmoving in his resolve. Kakashi did a double take as a white flash zoomed in front of him. The beast growled in pain as its head was thrown to one side as a fist made contact on it's jaw.

The old sannin jumped in front of Kakashi protectively.

The demon growled viciously. "You foolish old man, I shall devour you."

Jariaya chuckled. The demon dog focused lividly upon him "You laugh?"

A smug smile came across the mans face "You think I would dare to strike you, without the strength to destroy you? I am after all a legend myself."

Blood Hunter stalked nearer, and noted the man didn't flinch, in the slightest "Is that so?" It slobbered.

"Wouldn't you rather have the soul of one such as me? The one who would strike you?" Jariaya asked with very convincing bravado.

The smile on the demons face seemed even more genuine this time a deep guttural breath emancipated from its throat agreeably. "It does seem more appealing…"

Kakashi trembled "No, you can't do—"

The old mans eyes shifted to regard Kakashi and suddenly without warning he whirled around landing a punch square in Kakashis jaw. The jounin in poor condition fell back pathetically in the mud.

Jariaya turned back around "He's pathetic, you don't want a weak one like him do you?"

The Demon dog observed the muddy ninja sprawled on the ground with distaste. "No, he would not do. He may be my summoner, but he is much too weak to be any kind of master, of one such as myself." Jariaya nodded agreeably "You're right."

It smiled "Are you ready?" it asked eagerly.

Jariaya nodded.

The demon outstretched a large paw. The ninja took the monstrous thing in his hand a bead of sweat fell from his face as the binding symbol a black swirling emblem, appeared in his palm.

Kakashi watched helplessly from the prone position in the thick mud not seeming to care that his forehead protector had fallen off and laid a short distance away in the grime. He cried out as he tried to stand. Jariaya came beside him and reached into the pocket on his vest grabbing the vile. "I'm sorry." He uttered respectfully leaving before the prone ninja could respond. He held the blood vile to the demons nose.

"Find the one who cursed this blood" he commanded the demon.

"Of course," it hissed bounding off its leaps shaking the forest ground. Jariaya looked back at Kakashi, Sai watched the man with the long white mane sprint off behind the demon. He ran quickly beside the ninja sprawled in the mud. Kakashi sat up and more or less glared at Sai bent beside him. "Go." He said gruffly.

Sai looked at him with doubt. "Go, you idiot." Surprised, but spurred by his sharpness the darkly clad ninja leapt off quickly. But he stopped a moment, crouching down in the mud.

"What are you—" Kakashi started before the ninja turned around holding the forehead protector in his hands bent down and handed it to the distressed jounin.

He placed it beside him silently as Kakashi looked sullenly at the object. Without waiting another second the black op was sprinting off.

Left alone on the cold ground Kakashi reached into his thigh pack and with a shaky hand brought the medicine bottle to his lips and downed the rest.

* * *

Sai followed behind already far enough back that he could no longer see them. He couldn't help but think about Sakura a little. 

_Sai's head bent over helplessly. _

"_I'll never be able to replace him…will I?" He asked sadly to Sakura who had came up beside him. She put her hand on his shoulder causing him to look at her with surprise._

"_We don't need you to. You are you. Sai," she dropped his title "You are the reason I care for you, you never were a replacement." She looked at him meaningfully dropping her hand back to her side. _

_He stared back at her "Sakura-sa…" he tried to speak more. She gave him a comforting smile. "Sai…sometimes people don't realize that people need them. Some people become bitter and lose themselves trying to find a purpose in life, completely unaware of what's right in front of them," She looked at him closely "I wouldn't want that for you." She looked at him knowingly. "Sai, we need you." she emphasised the 'you' seriously. _

_His blue eyes opened wide. A small smile appeared on his face as he looked off into the setting horizon. _

The shinobis blue eyes narrowed in resolve as he pushed forward faster.

"Sakura, needs me." He murmured to himself.

* * *

A/N Thank you so much for your reviews. 


	6. The End of an Avenger

A/N: Thank you so much for all your reviews.

_The End of an Avenger_

"Stop, human." The black beast growled. 

Jariaya stopped his feet sliding in the slick mud.

"…I smell him. He is no longer among the living it seems," It finished. Jariaya directed his gaze to where the crimson eyes of the feral beast focused, up ahead. 

Jariaya cocked his head in confusion at seeing a hooded man bent over what must be the body. "That is the body of the one you seek," it clarified, tilting its large head beyond the hooded individual.

"You have a funny way of showing up when I least expect…" the hooded man said in a wheezing voice, that Jariaya immediately recognized "…and when I want to see you the least," Orochimaru pulled the black hood from his head revealing his yellow snake eyes and a wolfish smile, of a bared and angry teeth. "I'm going to kill you this time, Jariaya."

The Sannin bared his teeth. "What have you done, Orochimaru?" he questioned seriously.

Orochimaru smiled a little insanely. "I didn't really do it, but Kabuto…is dead." he said almost as if it was funny.

Jariaya studied the situation trying to make sense of it. Something became clear to him in that very moment, the fact that Orochimaru was very much out of control, of the situation. He certainly wouldn't kill one of his most valuable pawns, even though his bloody clothes and hands said otherwise.

"It's that damn Uchiha bastard…" He growled

Jariaya started, a look of realization on his face. "…I guess killing you will make me feel better." Orochimaru growled a murderous gleam in his snake eyes.

Before anymore exchanges could occur Sai jumped in front of Jariaya. Orochimaru glared strait into the anbus eyes.

"What's our situation?" Sai asked. His hands at the ready his placid face watching the pale man with rapt attention.

"The target, Kabuto, is dead." Jariaya responded evenly.

A flicker of surprise crossed the anbus face.

_Dead?!_ Sai thought uncomprehending.

"Just get what we came for." Sai said not giving the situation another thought.

The dark eyed sannin looked at Sai "Understood." He wasted no more time and sprinted off.

Orochimarus face twisted into absolute rage as he made a lunge for Jariaya. The scream of a sword being freed from its sheath rang out. Jariaya turned as the gleaming sword came at his face, but it was stopped short by Sais' short sword.

"Go, Jariaya-sama!" he grunted scraping metal as he threw the sword swiftly from him. "We don't have that much time." Sai bellowed insistently.

The old man ran throwing rivulets of mud around his feet. He bent over smoothly taking a needle out of his vests pocket.

It had been the first time Jariaya had ever seen what the genius medical ninja had done to himself. It disgusted him. He could not help but pity him, even so. He gazed at the body morbidly inserting the needle into Kabutos cold limp arm. He put the vial back into his pocket quickly making his way the woods.

A black mass stopped the sannin right in his tracks. An evil smile on its face "Are you forgetting something?" it snapped its jaws hungrily.

Jariaya closed his eyes helplessly.

"Jariaya-sama!" Sai shouted seeing the man fall to his knees holding his chest in pain.

Orochimaru scowled

"Pay attention!" he howled slashing his sword at the anbu. Sai kept backing up narrowly avoiding the dangerous kiss of the sword.

Such speed! In this rain my Chōjū Giga is worthless. Sai thought desperately still dodging Orochimarus vicious attacks.

* * *

Kakashi's lungs burned like fire as he jumped from branch to branch as fast as he could go. 

For a moment he saw her lying in the hospital bed, dying. He narrowed his exposed eye in resolve ignoring the pain in his chest; he went even faster as the rain continued to fall down, like angry tears.

* * *

Jariayas soul was leaving him, he felt so cold. In this moment he realized he might not make it out of this one. 

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted movement

"K-kashi…" he croaked painfully, only able to keep one eye open. 

The gray haired ninja stepped in front of the demon. "You." It drooled angrily.

The Blood Hunters eyes focused onto the jounin water droplets fell from the shinobis matted hair, one brown eye focused on the Demon lividly.

He held up his hands and slapped them together in a ninja sign "Release!" he shouted. "No!" the demon howled trying to leap at the ninja. The four swirling ebony sealing symbols pulsed orange around the demon, stopping it in its tracks. The thrall beast was released, as it dissipated in a mist of black flames a furious look still plastered on its gruesome features.

"You sure know when to show up," Jariaya exhaled raggedly as he fell his face hitting the mud in exhaustion. The jounin walked up crouching down to the unconscious sannin, checking his pulse.

"Alive…You sure know how to interfere with my plans. Old man," He sighed exasperated, but closing his eyes in relief, none the less.

"Kakashi!" Sai yelled desperately rolling backwards in the mud, grasping his short sword and bringing it up just in time to clash with Orochimarus plummeting blade. "Don't worry anbu me--save Sakura!" he bellowed

At the mention of Sakuras name a look crossed Orochimarus' pale face. He let up on his sword a little. Sai threw him off easily. The pale man stumbled back in the mud. He shook the confusion from his face before swinging at Sai with renewed enthusiasm.

"You had better pay attention!" Orochimaru growled, swinging the sword. Sai ducked the screaming blade, barely.

"I'm not about to leave you behind!" Kakashi shouted revealing his sharingan.

"Oh, I don't think so, Kakashi!" The snake faced sannin hissed

Orochimaru turned blocking Sais dagger with one hand and summoning snakes from the ground with the other. He smiled wickedly as the violet snakes wrapped around the shinobi and turned to stone, trapping him. Kakashi cursed as he was caught staring into the stone eyes of the serpents unable to move.

_Such quick summoning, damn you Orochimaru!_

Sai bared down even more fiercely on Orochimarus sword.

"You can't win." The banished sannin hissed as he threw the shinobi from him. "Especially if you can't stay on your feet!" Orochimaru crouched throwing his leg out underneath the anbu, tripping him. His blue eyes widened, as he fell onto his back. His short sword flew from his hand He cursed as he plummeted, mud splashed around him like dark water.

He just barely held his a kunai up to block the falling sword from cleaving him in half.

The sword bared down on him heavily.

The rain hit Sais' emotionless face like tiny stinging bees. His blue eyes gaped up as the sword finally fell. Orochimarus' gleeful smile didn't last long as the sword merely stuck into the soft mud by a log. He growled turning just in time to jump out of the way of a diving kick.

"I guess I would've been disappointed if it ended there." Orochimaru chuckled looking up to see the real shinobi, both covered in mud they peered readily at each other.

"Why haven't you used the sharingan?" Sai asked simply. Orochimaru ran forward sword drawn dangerously to his side "I don't need it. Just to beat you," he hissed. "Why would you kill Kabuto? He asked. "…could it be that you still can't control that body of yours?" He finished. He seemed to have struck the sannins last nerve, with sudden and shocking speed that Sai could not match. His opponent slashed him across the chest. The cold wet steel cut deep. The warmth of his own blood cascaded down his chest as he fell backward grasping for air. His dagger fell from his hand landing in the mud beside him. Orochimaru towered above him with the eyes of a tiger stalking his prey.

"It's time for your end, shinobi," He smiled raising the sword above him. Sai swore he heard that voice mixed in as his vision blurred.

The rain pounded down in a quiet moment, as a surprised Orochimaru noticed his sword had been stopped.

"What?" he wheezed.

He scowled as he realized that the white flash that appeared before him was none other than the infamous copy ninja.

"You're right, your end." Kakashi said evenly, his mismatched eyes focused intensely on Orochimarus face.

The pale faced man stepped backward. "So you escaped." he snapped, scowling.

"Kakashi!" Sai yelled as he tried to stand up arms supporting his shaking frame. "You have to, save Sakura" he inhaled a ragged breath "We're running out of time!" blood seeped out his mouth. "Get Kabutos body and go!"

On Orochimarus face, a look passed on his features that was there and gone at the mention of Sakuras name. Kakashi gave Sai a sideways glance. "I'm not leaving you behind," he responded evenly standing between Sai and Orochimaru. Unmovingly.

Sai looked up in shock at the pair of eyes staring at him, they weren't the same.

Kakashi started at seeing the different eyes.

Orochimarus face equaled that surprise if not doubled it. "Why that little bastard," he rasped his body shaking uncontrollably.

"_Kill me" _Sai saw with amazement that Orochimarus face had contorted and now he was split in two. Sasuke had regained control. "…K-kill m-me, and save Sakura."

"No!" Orochimaru shrieked grabbing at his head, the sword falling from his pale hand

The face morphed Kakashi looked at the spectacle in shock, his eyes wide.

Orochimarus face had melted away except for his one eye, but it faded as well. And tears fell freely from Sasukes coal eyes as his soul relinquished control.

"Kakashi-sensei…" he choked shaking.

The jounin jumped at the title of respect. "Do as I say, and kill me. For my sake at least."

Kakashi was frozen.

Shadows appeared under the quaking shinobis eyes, as Kakashi did not move.

"I see." He rasped his shaking hand reaching out despite the protests of his broken and protesting body. He moved his hand towards the sword. The jounin and Sai were stunned as they immediately realized his intentions.

"No…!" The prolonged scream wretched out of his mouth in agony as Orochimaru fought for control. "You can't—" Sasuke interrupted "I can. This ends." He had grasped the cold wet handle of the sword beside him in the mud.

Kakashi held out his hand. "Sasuke! Wait! There has to be another way," he insisted.

"There isn't! I made a mistake Sensei, I realize that now...I should've listened to you. I'm sorry for everything that I've done." Sasuke lurched holding his stomach, losing his grip on the sword before renewing his resolve and gripping the sword tightly. His shoulders shook as more tears fell. "Tell Sakura…Tell Sakura, that she did save me, in the end…" he looked up at Kakashi's own crying eyes with his. "…tell her not to blame herself...," Sasuke uttered painfully as he held the sword up.

Kakashi and Sai turned away closing their eyes tightly, but they would never forget that sound, the quiet sound of a life ending. Kakashi couldn't stop the tears in his eyes. "Damn it, Sasuke." He choked through tears. He felt a hand on his shoulder. "His terrible end is regrettable," Jariaya said regarding Kakashi sadly. "There had to be another way." Kakashi whispered ardently.

"I don't know Kakashi...perhaps, but the decision has been made..." The sannin focused his eyes on Kakashi. "...you have to focus on what you can do." The sannin said held out his hand the vial in his palm.

With a heavy heart, Kakashi took the container placing it in his green vest.

"We'll be right behind you." Sai said forcing his bleeding body to stand. Sai let out a shaking breath watching the jounin sprint off. He looked up at the dark sky.

_I wish this damn rain would stop._

* * *


	7. Hello, goodbye

_Hello, Goodbye_

Kakashi jumped rapidly through the trees.

He hit the next branch, it snapped under his weight.

Without hesitation he swiftly twisted his body so that his chakra held him horizontally to the trees trunk. He pushed off the tree throwing bark behind him.

His feet barely touched on the adjacent tree branch as he quickly rushed forward pushing against the falling raindrops.

* * *

The fifth hokage signed papers with practiced ease, finishing them one by one. She read her eyes darting across the papers, and scrawling her name on the lines quickly. A look of anguish was replaced by surprise as the door opened slamming into the wall. 

"Tsunade!" Shizune yelled frantically swallowing, her brown eyes full of panic. "…it's Sakura!" she cried.

The blonde threw the pen down. The last signature left unfinished on the paper.

* * *

Kakashi could feel the adrenaline pumping through his body as he jumped down out of the woods hitting the muddy ground in a crouch. He pushed his body up without hesitation, his eyes focused ahead on the village up ahead, and his pace didn't slow as he hit the pebbled streets of Konaha splashing in the puddles. His leg faltered. He tripped but caught him self, using his hands a leverage he flipped forward landing on his feet. 

Come on legs, just a little more... 

He pumped his legs briskly and was fast approaching the hospital doors. He hit the metal handle bar harshly and stumbled through the leaf village's hospital door. "Shallow breathing!" The brunette medic in charge of Sakuras care yelled. 

Tsunade and Shizune burst into the room. Tsunade strolled up beside Sakuras bed.

"We're losing her…," the medical ninja said hopelessly.

"What can we do?" Shizune cried.

Tsunade gripped the beds edge. "Nothing." She whispered. The brunette and Shizune shoulders dropped in helplessness.

Just then they snapped their heads to the door, as Kakashi slammed the doors open.

His chest heaving up and down he leaned on the door entrance. The ninjas soaking body dripping, his silver hair matted to his head, he looked like hell.

They rushed to him Tsunade grabbed the vial from his outstretched hand frantically running to stainless steel counter in the room she grabbed the scroll that she had prepared, laying it out flat.

Shizune supported Kakashi on her arm. He shrugged her off. Trying to walk forward she took him under her arm again. "Somebody help me get him to a bed!" Shizune commanded. Two men medical ninjas ran to her aide, taking Kakashi onto their shoulders. Two nurses rolled a bed up to them they laid him down. "Get him some blankets!" A nurse shouted.

The monitors whined signaling that Sakura had gone into cardiac arrest. "No!" Shizune cried defeatedly. "Sakura!" Kakashi yelled sitting bolt upright. The nurses around him put their hands on him "Lay down! Let us do our job." They said in a blur of voices. "I'm suggesting sedatives," a male voice said. "Seems he already has a dangerous amount of…I'm not sure a pain medication, but it's really high dosage, if we don't get him to calm down his heart could malfunction," he continued.

Kakashi felt a prick in his arm. He gazed over to where Sakura was laying.

She added the plasma to the other antibiotics to counteract the poison then dripped the crimson substance in the center of the inky swirling symbols. "Antidote success." She said evenly not celebrating yet.

"Tsunada-sama," Shizune said impatiently.

Tsunade turned around a large syringe in hand.

Shizune looked surprised. "Isn't that a little risky?"

"It is the only way. We have to act fast." Tsunade said shortly as she strode to Sakuras bedside.

Standing above she motioned to Shizune "Ready?" She asked her assistant who nodded biting her lip nervously. Without further hesitation the Hokage thrust the needle strait into Sakuras chest. "Now, Shizune! Start her heart!"

The dark haired medic made a sign with her hands holding them above Sakura "Heart restoration technique!" an electric pulse rain through Sakuras chest.

"Nothing." Shizune sweated "Heart restoration technique!" she shouted again.

"Yes!" Tsunade yelled, "We have a pulse," she breathed with relief.

"Now we wait." Shizune exhaled a breath she had been holding.

Tsunade held her hands above the still unconscious Sakura. The healing chakra flowed from her hands. "I know it won't do much…" The fifth sighed "Especially for damaged organs, but if I heal the muscles, I can ease her pain a little" the risk taker mumbled to herself reassuringly.

"She has a long road of healing ahead of her, doesn't she Tsunade-sama?"

The blonde nodded "Yes, she does" she sighed. "I want a twenty-four seven watch on her, understood?" Tsunade ordered.

"Hai, Tsunade-sama!" Shizune said bowing. Tsunade let the other ninjas work on healing Sakura as she turned around to visit a certain jounin.

"So you make it back alive again Kakashi," she said a little haughtily "Your visits are so frequent recently here."

"Is Sakura-chan…?" he coughed "Is—"

Tsunade cut him off "She's stable, thanks to you." She complimented.

"But—" she stopped the word not even off her tongue he had fallen asleep, or into a state of unconsciousness. She put her hands on her hips looking irritated, but it didn't last long as her face melted into an expression of adoration. "Kakashi you're one of a kind." She said, shaking her head disbelievingly.

* * *

Kakashi woke up in his bed both revealed eyes opened groggily and closed, then snapped open. 

"Sakura-chan!" He gasped frantically.

"I'm here Kakashi-kun," She said soothingly beside him. He turned his head squinting in the bright light, coming from the sunlight shining in the window. He couldn't quite see her in the sun.

"The rain finally stopped this morning," Sakura said stepping towards him. Mercifully out of the glaring light.

"Sakura," he said hoarsely. She limped to his bed. He sat up, quickly revealing the fact he was in a hospital gown. He also noticed the IVs running in his arms.

_Jeez, didn't know it was this bad. _He thought looking down at his outfit with wide eyes before focusing back on her.

"Sakura-chan are you—" he started, but she leaned to him holding a finger up to lips almost touching him. She dropped her hand crossing her arms.

He brought a bare hand up to his face, feeling around.

His mask was gone.

Sakura stared at his confused features a little amusedly.

_So cute… _She thought.

"It's nothing. I'm just a little sore, how do you feel?" she said sitting in the chair he hadn't noticed beside his bed till now. He averted his eyes, noticing the magazine and an empty glass laying on the nightstand. She followed his gaze "I've been waiting for you to wake up," she explained.

He gazed at her intently with his different eyes. She avoided his stare, nervously putting a strand of pink hair behind her ear. "So?" she prompted looking at her folded hands in her lap. "Oh." He said startled also placing his eyes elsewhere. "I'm…"

_Worried about you. _

"Fine," he finished stoic.

"I see." She sighed.

"How long have I been out?" he asked

"About a week, overdosing on pain medication is serious business. Especially if you stress your body like you did." She explained looking at him seriously. He just shrugged as if it was nothing; he had been in worse situations.

She kept looking at him as if she was going to talk, but couldn't. Her head fell forward shadowing her face as she so hard to hold them in, but the tears came down her face taunting her resolve not to cry. "We…had the funeral," She scoffed at herself in pity. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to cry…it's just…" she sniffed wiping her eyes. "…who is it that is up there? That decides who lives, and dies?" Sakura asked desperately holding onto her knees tightly. The tears streamed out of her eyes, unwanted. The woman held back the tears, until now. She threw her head beside Kakashi "…And whoever it is." She swallowed audibly "Why do they let me live?"

"Sakura" Kakashi said uneasily his voice shaking as he looked down on her sobbing form. "Please, don't do this to yourself." He said looking down morbidly.

She lifted her head focusing her shining emeralds on his face sadly. "Then what should I do?" she choked.

He tilted his head placing his hand on her head and running his fingers through her hair then letting his hand fall back to his side. "Forgive yourself." He whispered his eyes locked on hers.

She looked up at him trying desperately to stifle the sob held within her. She gasped leaping forward, wrapping her arms around Kakashi burying her head in his shoulder, weeping uncontrollably.

"Please don't leave me. Please don't die Kakashi." she pleaded between sobs, holding on to him as if he could slip away. For a moment he was surprised but the silver haired ninja relaxed, and wrapped his arms around her. "I'm not going anywhere, Sakura," he promised holding her tightly.

The door to the room opened Sai popped his head in

"Sai!" Sakura said surprised, releasing Kakashi.

"Oh. I'm sorry am I interrupting?" he said starting to close the door. Sakura limped after him opening the door quickly.

Her terrible gait out in the open like that, startled Kakashi into realization.

"Sai wait!" she shouted spotting him in the hallway.

Kakashi sighed and leaned back onto the beds headboard looking up at the ceiling.

The pink haired shinobi, caught him by the shoulder in the dim hallway. She held back a pained expression as the pain pulsated down her body.

"…its okay," she breathed "It's nothing, come back," she smiled reassuredly.

He regarded her with an emotionless expression "Okay." He said turning to follow her, putting his hands in his pockets.

"You're doing it again," Sakura said rolling her eyes.

"Oh, sorry" he put a more happy expression on his face "Is this more 'delightful'?' he looked at her with the awkward expression. Sakura looked like she might scold him like usual, but it seemed she didn't have the energy. She let her shoulders fall and she only smiled at him, albeit a little sadly. "I think someone's waiting to see you," she said with forced cheerfulness. She tried not to limp as much as she turned her back to him returning to Kakashi's room.

Sai gave her a genuine look of sadness "Now you're doing it Sakura-chan," he whispered, whether or not she heard him, he did not know.

The anbu entered the room behind Sakura regarding Kakashi.

"Hello, Kakashi--face," he said holding up a hand of greeting, and a look of surprise.

"Hey, Sai." He said back nodding.

"Face." He pointed eyes wide.

"Calm down Sai!" Sakura soothed unable to hold back a small giggle at Sais' unusual display of emotion.

Sai walked over to him across the room holding out a scroll a little hypnotically. "I made this for you to 'Get well soon'" he said smiling a small smile. Kakashi took it in his hand and opened it Sakura leaned over his shoulder "Oh…it's so beautiful" she gasped.

"Thank you, Sai-san" Kakashi said gratefully.

"You're welcome" He answered tilting his head slightly. "I'm going to have to excuse myself," Sai said regarding them both politely. "I see, goodbye." The jounin nodded understandably. "Later, Sai," Sakura said bowing respectfully.

He exited. Outside the sun was setting on the horizon line. The pink haired medic walked over to Kakashis bed. "You won't be needing those anymore," she said talking about the I.V. s "Here, I'll remove them," she gently held his arms removing the IVs from his skin.

"Now…" she started as she walked over to the other side of the room to her beige backpack leaning against the white wall under the window, retrieving something from it. "I brought you, your clothes." She said evenly, walking over to him with the neatly folded outfit setting it on his lap. He looked at the clothes as if they were the strangest things he had ever seen. "Go ahead get dressed, I'll be right back." She tried to walk slower so her limp wouldn't be so obvious, but it was anyway. The gray haired shinobi stood up, and winced. Still a little sore.

* * *

Kakashi had just slide his mask into place when there was a knock on the door. 

"It's me!" Sakuras voice said.

"Come in," he said.

"Are you ready to go home?" She smiled pushing a wheel chair into view. Kakashis eyes fell in annoyance.

"Not in that." He answered defiantly. "Come on sit down I'll push you home." She said ignoring his denial.

"It's not necessary," he said holding his arms up as if to say 'here I am standing, see?'

Sakura gritted her teeth "It's just a precaution. Sit. Down." She said angrily.

He crossed his arms. "No."

* * *

The infamous copy ninja of Konaha sat in the wheelchair as Sakura pushed him down the streets of the leaf village his arms crossed and his eye narrowed irritably as Haruno Sakura greeted, and waved happily at everybody. "Hello, Shikamaru!" She said as he passed with a line of kids behind him. He cocked an eyebrow at Kakashi who could only shrug, and look the other way. 

She noticed this exchange and leaned in real close by Kakashi. "We're almost there. Stop being such a child, okay?" She said through clenched teeth. "Stop treating me like one." He retorted sorely, still keeping his arms crossed.

"I just don't want you to overdo it…" Sakura admitted.

"I see." He said a little more understanding, uncrossing his arms. The sky glowed orange and pink as the sun set lower in the sky.

"Welcome home!" she said pushing him into his apartment. He looked around the room in surprise.

"Clean?" he said dumbfounded pushing the wheelchair away standing up.

"You really should keep a better house." She scolded

"You're one to talk," he mumbled sarcastically. She pretended not to hear him and continued to open a cupboard taking out tealeaves and starting up his stove.

He looked at this display, nonplussed.

The pink haired woman pulled out chair at his table. "Here." She motioned for him to sit. He did so albeit a little slowly still unsure of what exactly was taking place.

She continued to take out ingredients for food. "Are you hungry?" she asked sweetly.

Kakashi watched her a hand rested in his chin. "Sakura…" she didn't respond still taking things out of his cupboards and he knew there wasn't much. "Sakura." He said again.

"Do you like Udon? Because I could go to the store right now…" she asked still not acknowledging him.

"Sakura." He said firmly his voice rising a little.

"Yes?" she said looking at him, finally.

"Sit down." He said. "I'll just order something, okay?"

"I can order it." She countered.

"All right." He placated holding his hands in front of him.

"Where's your phone?" she asked.

"By the door," he answered.

"Oh, what do you want?" she asked looking at him intently as if it was the most important question she ever asked. "How about ramen?" she said unintentionally initiating an awkward moment. He looked at her, she looked at him.

"Sounds nice," he whispered. They looked away from each other.

They sat across from each other eating quietly, just needing one another's presence.

Night fell and Sakura insisted on walking home alone, she didn't want Kakashi stressing himself at least that's what she told her self.

Haruno opened the door to her apartment that squeaked loudly as if to say 'your alone' she looked around her dusty home and sighed.

"Only an empty room with nobody," she stressed dropping her backpack listlessly on the hardwood floor by the counter

She sighed for like the millionth time today, frustrated, knowing that almost everyone else was off on a mission she thought uselessly. She plopped down on her dusty pink coach tiredly, stretching out.

"_No, exceptions. Sakura I want you to take at least a three week vacation, to recover." Tsunade stressed holding up a finger. She would allow no arguments. _

_Sakura put her head down "Hai, Tsunade-sama." She answered docilely leaning on her crutches. _

She turned her head over to the dark window only to see her dead flowers sitting there. She sighed again. "Everything dies." She said a tear falling down her face.

* * *

Hatake Kakashi walked up to the freshly dug grave among the Uchiha graves. 

"Just another grave," he whispered sadly looking down on the grave. "I want to hate you for what you did Sasuke, but I know, that would be worthless, and to be honest I feel like it's my fault that you turned to Orochimaru, that…maybe I wasn't a good enough teacher." He looked up at the black sky.

"Rest in peace, Sasuke Uchiha." He said before leaving to go home, alone.

The tears fell from his eyes despite himself.

He doubted he would sleep tonight.

* * *

Sai walked down a cold, dark stone stairway the only source of light coming from torches on the gray stone walls. His face placidly gazed ahead.

An anbu with a cat mask concealing his face came up beside him.

"Is he talking?" Sai asked emotionlessly.

"Not a word, he insists he knows nothing," the anbu answered simply.

Sai approached a cells bars, stopping in front of them an uncharacteristic expression of anger on his face as he regarded the occupant whose arms were chained down to a chair centered in the cell, a black felt bag over his head. "Let me try." Sai spoke darkly.

"You'll talk for me, won't you, Kabuto?" he asked narrowing his eyes.

* * *

A/N: For those of you who reviewed, Thank you. 


	8. Memories

_Memories _

Sai poofed suddenly into the Hokages bright office standing up out of his crouch still looking a little terrifying, if Tsunade did say so herself.

"You know how much I hate it when bastards like Kabuto don't stay dead?" she said looking up to face him from the medical book she was reading. "His jutsu far surpasses even my first observations." She rested her hand in her chin stiffly. "What did you find out?" she asked her brow furrowing in that 'hurry and spit it the hell out' way.

Sais face looked at her narrowly in such a way that the fifth was reminded why even Ibiki Morino spoke highly of his interrogation techniques. The boy she knew certainly wasn't reflecting even remotely in those dark blue eyes of his.

"He was worthless." Sai deadpanned.

There was a pregnant moment between the two before Tsuande spoke "Is he…?"

"Dead?" Sai finished "I was not informed."

Tsunade hated Root, she had objected to its reformation profusely, but Danzo had managed to win over the council due to the grave uncertainties regarding Akatsukis hovering terror.

"You're dismissed." She said shortly standing up to lean over on her desk tiredly. He placed his hands together and was gone in a cloud of smoke.

What else could possibly go wrong around here?

* * *

The suns rays shined hotly from the large window in Sakuras apartment on the back of her pink head, propped up on her coaches arm. 

It isn't like it woke her up, or anything, she was just lying there. Still looking at the plain white wall, trying not to think about these next three whole damn weeks of _vacation_. She wrinkled her nose in distaste. Last night had been horrible, she had fallen in and out of sleep unable to keep her self from thinking and remembering everything that had happened. Mostly bad things.

She couldn't even begin to count all the times she had woken up shivering and alone in the dark. The cold breeze from the open window hadn't helped, but she had been too lazy to get up to shut it. As a matter of fact she was sure it was still open from that day a certain jounin had stumbled into her window and almost died.

Which means the floor and windowsill had to be positively soaked. _Wonderful _Sakura thought cynically. Too bad none of the water happened to reach her flowers.

Finally she opened her very unrested sad eyes fully enough so she could pass as awake, and stumbled out of bed whilst stumbling she found the edge of a upraised board that she had been meaning to fix, and fell promptly forward the ground.

Cursing she drug her knee under her and twisted around to lean on the sidearm of her faded pink coach dejectedly, knees and elbows throbbing painfully. Obviously, having experienced worse she stood up again and headed over to her sink, which she realized was full of dishes, which, since it was only ever her that was here, had taken weeks for her to compile.

She decided she didn't want to deal with this crap right now and that she was due to visit her mom anyway. She would have to stop at the flower shop on her way to pick up some daisies. Her mom's favorite flower.

* * *

The copy ninja was still lying on his thin green mattress wearing only his sleeveless shirt and his pants, his mask on but both eyes revealed. He was watching the hands on the clock above his door listlessly. 

Kakashi knew that he had to turn his report for the mission in, but he had never bothered to turn them in on time, why would he start now? Besides he was given a weeks leave, not that he was jumping for joy at the prospect of sitting around in his apartment drowning in his own depression. Even that little orange book of his looked extremely dull and pointless.

He pulled his eyes away from the clock, and looked around his lack luster apartment, cleaner than usual due to a certain someone, but none the less, plain. He thought about that certain someone and how her life had become painfully like his…

How Sakura was losing everyone she loved right before her eyes, and no matter how hard she tried she just couldn't seem to understand why she was still here. He knew she wouldn't fall as far as he did, she was much too strong for that. But it made him wince at the thought of how that shine in her eyes he had always admired, seemed to be constantly replaced by tears.

* * *

Sakura walked slowly along the bright tan pebbled streets of Konaha small puddles the only thing left to remind of the past rain. She smelt the clean moist air but it did little to truly comfort her today, not even the fluffy white clouds floating lazily in the sky caught her attention. Instead it made her sad, it made her remember that particular day that she had been walking to this shop before instead of going into the store she sat on a old stone bench across from the store staring off into the distance almost unwittingly falling into the past… 

_It had been a crisp morning in the leaf village and Sakura wanted to get to the flower store today so she could have some flowers in her new apartment. _

_She walked peacefully, down the sidewalk to the shop that she had always gone to. When she got there and saw the beautiful flowers. The pinks, the reds, blue violets she just wanted to buy them all._

"_No, no two at the most…" she mumbled to herself reasonably. _

"_Sakura-chan!" _

_She knew that hyperactive greeting anywhere. Even though he was nineteen years old and had experienced so much horror, and pain he still kept those child like qualities of his. While she outwardly expressed irritation at his behavior she secretly found it endearing. _

"_Naruto?" she said turning away from smelling a pot of violets. _

"_Whatcha doing?" he said cheerfully putting his arms behind him like he usually did. _

"_What does it look like I'm doing?" she said sounding a little irritated even though she really wasn't. _

_And it was so quiet… She thought sadly, and a little bemusedly. _

"_Smelling flowers?" he said cocking his head cutely a crooked smile gracing his ever-handsome features. _

"_Bingo." She smiled putting a pink lock of hair behind her ear. _

"_Hey, Sakura-chan…" he started nervously scratching his head and looking away from her. _

"_What Naruto?" she said picking up the pot of daises and violets and examined them. _

"_I was wondering…" he continued following her into the store as she went up to the counter, placing them there, and ringing the bell. Ino came out fuming about something, she always seemed so moody lately. _

"_Hello, Sakura." She mumbled not even looking at her as she typed the sale into the register, her fingers pecking the keys like an angry hen._

_Sakura started to ask her what was wrong but was interrupted by Ino._

"_Don't ask me about it, please. Just put the money on the table and go. I just can't talk right now." With that she sulked away to the back of the store. Sakura looked a little worried, but complied and put the money on the table sullenly, turning to leave. _

"…_if.." Naruto continued. The pink haired shinobi couldn't possibly fathom what he was trying to tell her. She simmered a little getting annoyed fast. _

_Sakura held her flowers close to her, getting an even more impatient with Narutos rambling._

_He was still trailing her, when suddenly he tripped on a bin of flowers falling forward into Sakuras back, knocking her over. It was almost in slow motion as the flowers fell from her hands, crashing to the sidewalk; shattered pottery scattered across the ground. Before she fell, herself, she managed to throw her foot out stopping her fall. But it was too late for the flowers._

_"Naruto!" she moaned helplessly, looking at her scattered flowers sadly then back at him._

"_S-s-sorry!" He held up his hands apologetically from the prone position, blushing profusely unable to look her in the eye. He scrambled up running over to the tragic scene, and tried to pick up the flowers, but jumped quickly out of the way of a black horse pulling a cart, the animal snorted stomping on the flowers and scattered pottery._

_The clueless driver tipped his hat at the two as he went by._

"_Sakura-chan" he groaned looking back at her "I'm so sorry…" He said sounding genuinely so. _

_She let her arms fall to her sides limply looking back at her flowers scattered soil on the ground and let out a deep breath. Kakashi had lectured her about her anger and she had elected to take an earnest effort to control her poor temper. She let out another breath easily._

"_It's okay Naruto" she placated, giving him a small smile to reassure him. "Really they're just flowers I can buy some more later," He still seemed pretty down about it. _

"_Besides," she continued putting a hand on his shoulder, which she found, was higher than she remembered. He watched her very intently with those blue pools of his. She didn't notice the intensity though and took his stare lightly chatting onward "…we have a party to go to. If I recall properly Temari and Shikamarus' little engagement party is tonight. I have to go pick out a dress…"_

_Her emeralds widened in realization as it occurred to her…could it be?! The reason Ino was so upset? Is it because she likes Shikamaru…?! She pondered idly._

"_Well, I guess I'll see you then Sakura-chan kay?" he said interrupting her wonderings_

"_Hmm..? Oh yes…" She responded dismissively._

_Naruto was a good distance away before she turned around._

"_Hey Naruto!" she yelled _

"_Yeah?" he stopped looking back at her._

"_What was it you were going to ask me?" She asked curiously_

_He shoved his hands in his pocket._

"_Oh, nothing…"_

"_Oh, okay… later Naruto." She yelled waving at him. He walked away with such a subdued demeanor that Sakura had to furrow her brow a little suspiciously, but she dismissed her curiosity and let him go. She was off to find a dress for tonight!_

_

* * *

_

_Sakura arrived at the grand entranceway,(which wasn't called the grand entrance for nothing, obviously) a chandelier hung above her head the marble flooring was way high class. She had no idea that Shikamarus family was so well off._

_She didn't see Ino anywhere and she began to wonder even more seriously if what she'd thought before was true…_

_While she ogled the classy chandelier that hung above her son enthralled that she didn't notice a certain person as he came up behind her. She whirled around when she heard a very deep voice saying her name. That handsome voiced happened to be the one and only spunky blonde boy Naruto, in a very handsome suit smiling so brightly at her that she thought she might be blinded. _

"_Sakura…you look beautiful." Naruto breathed so intensely she had to put a hand to her chest to stop her beating heart. She hadn't really put all that time into picking out her dress. She went with a simple black dress (safest bet). It stopped just above her knees and had a small v-neck very practical. The girl was taken aback by how grown up Naruto looked in his suit, very dashing. When __**did**__ he get so tall? She wondered a little short on air._

She finally found her voice.

"_You look quite handsome yourself, Naruto." _

_His blue eyes shined happily. "Uh-uh do you mind if...?" he gulped holding out his elbow. _

"_Oh, well, of course not," she smiled. She noticed the other sand villagers chatting idly with leaf village and she couldn't help but feel a sense of content with how wonderful it was that the two villages got along so smoothly. _

"_Hey, Naruto…where's Sasuke?" she asked a little nervously. _

"_Hmm, I don't know he said frowning "He's been so reclusive lately,"_

"_Reclusive? Did you just use such a big word?" she teased._

_Before they could worry more about their missing comrade their worries were promptly distracted by a very lewdly dressed Ino approaching them. Sakura had to pick Narutos' jaw off the floor. She would have slapped him too, but she had to admit, Inos' dress certainly didn't leave anything to the imagination._

_The cut along the dark emerald dresses sides was to her hip her ample bosom was not even in the slightest subdued behind the chests draping cloth that went around leaving her shoulders bare. _

_She rolled her hips in a seductive way that had heads turning._

_Sakura smacked her forehead. _

_Ino… she thought despairingly. _

_

* * *

_

_The next morning Sakura snoozed she had been out late at the party and she was needless to say-tired. Mostly because instead of having fun she was stuck consoling a heart broken Ino, in the ladies room, a fancy ladies room, but a ladies room none-the-less. She felt badly for her friend, but what could she do? _

_Shikamaru had reacted quite strongly to Inos…attire, receiving quite the glare from his future wife. But even if Ino had dressed like a slut, she couldn't play the part, and after only a brief moment around the couple, simply had excused herself, to hide in the bathroom. Sakura finally unable to stand the growing cement block of guilt crushing her skull, had come to Inos aide leaving her fellow shinobi to have fun without her. _

_Sakura rolled over on her belly contemplating whether or not to get up it was twelve in the afternoon…but the decision was made for her at the sound of somebody knocking at her door_

"_Coming to see if I'm alive, no doubt" she mused out loud. Rolling out of bed and wincing at the pain in her feet (high heels) Sakura moaned inwardly as she weaved through a few boxes she hadn't unpacked yet, and answered the door. _

_There he was standing there with a box full of flowers, violets daffodils and tulips._

"_Naruto?" she said looking at him strangely._

"_I felt bad about the other ones so here," he thrust them at her "Take 'em," He insisted. _

_Sakura held the box in her hand. "But…that was," she looked at his nervous face and stopped by simply saying "Thank you Naruto," she said smiling at him but wondering what she was going to do with so many flowers. "Well, bye. Catch you later" he chimed throwing his hands in the air, leaving down the hallway. _

"_He's such a good friend." She smiled laying the flowers on the floor._

"Yo." A voice crashed through her sad reverie. She took her face out of her hands that had been resting on her knees to sit back and regard him. The wind blew through the lane and her locks of pink hair unharnessed by her shinobi headband letting it blow freely in her face.

He sat beside her "What're you doing?" he asked simply folding his hands between his legs casually.

"Remembering the past and wishing I could go back." She replied her tone stale.

"Ahh," he lamented "I've been there." He sympathized.

"Does it ever get better?" She asked without any real hope.

He looked at her with his lone eye reaching up to put a lock of pink hair behind her ear. He did that a lot lately she thought, but she definitely didn't mind. For some reason that simple jester comforted her.

"The pain never goes away…" He said looking away from her. She felt her stomach drop at those stinging words.

"Oh." She exhaled flatly.

"….but you weigh the pain with the happiness that person brought into your life and it makes it easier." He finished smiling at her through his mask.

Sakura tilted her head _that smile._

"One of these days Kakashi, I'm going to make you smile a true genuine smile." She promised looking at him, with a serious expression.

"Dropping titles completely now are we?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"Don't you understand?" she said smiling a small smile.

He regarded her with an eye that said 'What?'

"We're friends now. We don't need titles. From now on I will just call you Ka-ka-shi." She bent closer with every syllable until she was only and inch from his masked face.

Sakura brought a finger up and tapped his nose cutely and removed her face from such close proximity sitting back beside him. Kakashi was puzzled by his racing heart, he sat unmoving for a moment before he could truly analyze this feeling, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her sandals scraping against the pavement as she stood up.

"I have to get some flowers for my mom," She explained quietly.

Kakashi looked at her meaningfully "Want me to go with you?" he asked

"If you want to."

"Of course I do." He stood up, hands in his pockets.

She picked up the flowers walking to the familiar wood counter. A homely, but kind lady rang her up. Sakura laid the coins on the table the bundle of daises grasped tightly in her hands.

Kakashi lingered at her side following her down the street.

Sakura passed the gravestones until her eyes fell on the one that read 'Haruno'

She placed the flowers down by the stone. "Hello, mother." She said biting her lip. "Father still hasn't gotten over the cancer taking you away from us…I mean I haven't either but…he's taking it really hard. He's really lost mom, he needs you bad. I want to help him but he's always so drunk. Oh, mom I miss you." She stood up managing to keep her eyes dry. "Goodbye for now mom…" she sighed.

"Want me to walk you home Sakura?" He murmured.

"I don't really have a home." She said looking off into the distance somberly.

Without thinking Kakashi opened his mouth "Want to come home with me?" oh, he wanted to kick himself twice over for that.

Sakura snapped her head around quickly. "Was that an offer?" she asked deviously, trying to keep a straight face and doing quite a good job of it.

Kakashi tried to tame the blush flushing across his cheeks, to no avail.

_Why am I blushing! _he thought desperately.

Sakuras eyes were wide leaning up to his frozen form.

"Are you blushing!" she cried out trying to get a better look.

"No." he said trying to sound indifferent but his voice shook just enough that she noticed. He turned from her walking briskly to get away from her.

"I think we should both go to our respective places of residence—" he said in his stoic tone.

"Kakashi wait!" she said sprinting up to him grabbing onto his arm. "I would love to join you. Sure as hell beats going home to drown in my own depression." She added. He stared at her stiffly putting his hands in his pockets.

"I just…" she stuttered knowing what this would sound like.

Pathetic. Sakura loathed.

"…don't want to be alone." The needy expression on her face sent an unexpected tingle down his spine. She crossed her arms insecurely looking at him biting her lip "I don't want to bother you of course." Sakura said the sun shining in her eyes honestly.

_I really should leave _he thought.

"No, it wouldn't be a bother." He said slowly.

_Leave. _He thought to himself.

"I…." He stopped exhaling. "Don't want to be alone either." It was so painfully true.

* * *

Sorry for lateness :) 


	9. Falling

**_Falling_**

Sakura walked beside Kakashi as they came to a bridge. The bridge was a very nostalgic landmark to the both of them, but Sakura was the only one who stopped to examine its red arches her arms crossed, a wistful gaze on her face.

She looked over to Kakashi who had just stopped in his tracks his face turned upward but his mask and forehead protector covering his face, revealing nothing.

The pink haired shinobi turned around facing away from him to lean over the edge of the bridge, looking into her reflection. Like she had so many times before.

Kakashi regarded her from the short distance between them. He shifted the weight of his body back and forth on his feet then walked up beside Sakura leaning on the bridges wooden rail beside her.

He examined the moss growing on the railing.

He looked out across the small rivers calm waters.

"They plan to replace this bridge sometime this week, you know?" he stated plainly.

She whipped her head around. "I hadn't heard that." She said, a hint of sadness in her voice.

The jounin put a hand on her shoulder.

"Sakura, things change. It's just a fact of life."

"You would know better than anyone." She said back no real meaning in her words.

An empty moment passed between them.

Suddenly Sakura was focused on him severely.

"Remember when we first met, about seven years ago?"

"When you still respected me?" he said half jokingly.

"I still do, _sensei_." She gave him a light tap with her fist on his shoulder. He fiend pain rubbing his shoulder, she rolled her eyes.

"Would you actually…tell me those things about you, that you didn't tell us then?" she swallowed visibly looking at him expectantly.

He kept his face away from her, and she thought he would ignore her request.

"I can't say I've had a dream for a while…I do like to read." He said finally, rubbing his chin.

"What do you hate?" she asked inquiringly.

"The thing I hate the most is losing the ones I love."

"I can understand that." She said not sure what to say.

"Sakura?" he asked still leaning on the bridge.

He looked at her sadly he looked back at the water where the setting sun was reflected brightly.

She started to walk away her arms crossed across her chest as if she was cold. She stopped in stride turning to acknowledge him.

"Aren't you coming?" she asked,

He raised his head

"Of course."

The late afternoon sun was high in the sky looking down on the two silent shinobi as they slowly, walked side by side. Sakura swept her gaze around the modest side of town in which the jounin lived. She noticed how some of the buildings roofs were in need of repair and stones were cracking, but other than that the streets were swept, and things were in order, run down, but not unkempt. It gave everything a quaint but pleasant feeling about it.

Sakura glanced towards her silver haired companion fleetingly, noticing how he had his hands in his pockets, and seemed to be deep in thought. Sakura found herself wondering what he was thinking, her emerald eyes focused on him as if she could decipher his thoughts, if she stared hard enough.

She realized, with a start that Kakashi had returned her studious stare, with a questioning one. She jumped looking away from him, clearing her throat.

They both seemed to accept the continued silence.

Sakuras' stomach growled a little loudly, causing a small blush to grace her light complexion, nervously she crossed her arms across her chest biting her lip. She had forgotten breakfast again, and it was already time for lunch.

Her and Kakashi hadn't really been around each other these last two years she realized a couple missions here and there, but not much not since…Naruto's death. Which, afterwards she had buried herself in her medical training, becoming completely consumed and focused on studying for her exam to become a jounin.

She stayed up late at night reading every medical book she could get her hands on. She had, in a nutshell become quite the workaholic. Perhaps, it was just so that she could just drown out the screaming voice of blame in her head. To stop the tears, the sore throats…the pain. She felt her heart ache for the past…if only she could go back just for a few moments…

_You couldn't protect your friends, you failed. _Sakura bit her lip harder. Her eye widened as she put a finger to her lip and it came back red.

_Hard enough to draw blood…. _

Sakura stopped walking as she felt her body shake uncontrollably, she winced grabbing her chest. Numbness ate at her body and spots of radiating green imposed on her vision.

Kakashi turned to the shaking woman, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Sakura?" he asked, growing concerned.

"It's…it's nothing" she choked, but it wasn't nothing at all. It hurt so damn much.

Sakura started coughing. "No I'm…fine. Really." She insisted breathing heavily a hand over her heart.

Kakashi's eye went wide as he supported her toppling form on his shoulder. "Certainly doesn't look that way," he said disbelievingly, having to put his arm under her shoulder to hold her up.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" he asked, desperate worry painfully evident in his voice.

"I'm not exactly sure at the moment," She lied her vision still swimming. "I'm sure it'll pass…" he vision cleared slightly she blinked "Okay, I should be fine." She assured.

He hesitated, she felt his body tense apprehensively. She struggled awkwardly "Just..." she tried to squirm out of his arms. He complied quietly letting her go.

"Thank you." She swayed; Kakashi was right back at her side holding her. Concern reflecting in that brown eye of his.

"Sakura. Let me help you." He said his deadpan rising and falling in a strange way. He knew she was hurting, he had watched her stew from a distance wanting to say something comforting, but found it impossible to open his mouth and utter even one word.

Sakura pulled away, immediately she fell backwards into Kakashi who was ready to catch her by the arms with both hands.

She scoffed, again trying to stand. "Let go." She insisted.

If my vision would stop blurring… 

"Stop playing tough, Tsunade wouldn't put you off duty unless you're in pretty bad shape." He said trying to reason with her.

Her viridian eyes blazed with irritation. She wasn't mad because she thought he was wrong, she was mad because he was right. She was so absolutely helpless.

"I'm fine! Just let go." She growled. With unexpected strength she pulled out of his grasp. Kakashi wasn't prepared to catch her this time. Sakura realizing her mistake forced her fainting body and numb arms to react. She managed to throw her arms up around Kakashi's neck.

The jounin who was utterly unprepared for this split second happenings used all his balancing capabilities to remain upright. Though he managed to catch himself, staying on his feet, he found that he was bent down over her, their faces only inches apart.

Neither dared to breathe.

Neither looked away.

Sakura looked up at him.

"Sorry." She whispered. "Maybe I do need a little…help," she admitted. Her nerves had calmed a little and she found her anger had passed. She had always cursed her quick temper.

Slowly and shakily, Kakashi exhaled. "Alright." He picked her up again this time she just rested her head sighing against his chest.

Just then her head lolled and she fell completely limp.

His eye widened considerably "Sakura…" he breathed "Sakura!" he shouted crouching down resting her on the pavement, holding two fingers on her neck. His stiff shoulders relaxed somewhat as he found her pulse. He swept her into his arms. "You…" he whispered as he stood up his feet scraping on the pavement as he leapt away holding her in his arms.

* * *

Many apologies for lateness. I know it's short, but I had to split this chapter up if I wanted to get something up before the Internet went kaput (again), and I left for vacation. The next chapter's almost done, and I'm hoping to get it posted tomorrow or Monday. Thanks so much for reading! 


	10. Ghosts

**_Ghosts _**

Tsunade looked furiously upon the bandaged face of Danzo.

"You want, WHAT?" she bellowed

"I am requesting more medical ninja." He repeated as if she were dumb.

Tsunade raised her eyebrows angrily.

"That is absolutely out of the question! I for one, greatly disapproved of your organization to begin with, and I'm sure as hell--not about to support it!"

Danzo as controlled as always just turned around, but not before assuring her he would see to the counsel's opinion on the matter.

Tsunade huffed sitting roughly in her chair, furious.

"Izumo!" She shouted he turned to her refraining from placing books in the rightful place on her shelf.

"I want Sai here _now_."

"Yes, Tsunade-sama" he said already out the door.

* * *

Shizune took the stethoscope out of her ears standing up out of the chair she had been sitting in beside where Sakura slept her chest rising and falling evenly. 

"Well, she looks fine now. I'm glad you were there, god knows she could still be laying in the street somewhere."

Shizune let out an easy breath, regarding Kakashi standing beside her. He looked extremely worried. Shizune put a hand on his shoulder.

"It's alright Kakashi, looks like it's just fatigue, most likely from lack of sleep..." She said assuringly "…and knowing her, she probably forgot breakfast again. That would be Sakura, not taking care of herself," She said, smiling wanly." Shizune scowled, putting the stethoscope back into the black hospital kit she had brought with her.

The jounin looked at her with what she took as relief; she gave him a small smile. Just as she put her hand on the door handle, she gave Kakashi a sideways glance "Just keep an eye on her, okay?"

"Understood." He nodded.

The door shut with an almost inaudible click. The jounin turned back to look at Sakura who regarded him quietly in his bed. He came up beside the bed grabbing onto the chair turning it around backwards straddling it resting his arms on the chair and his chin on his arms. Watching her sleep his eyes began to close and he drifted off to sleep.

_A deep thick fog surrounded Kakashis' legs like a snake threatening to choke him. _

_His face was bare and maskless he was in a dark uniform a swirling symbol proudly displayed on his arm. _

"_Kakashi!" a voice cried out in distress making his heart tighten with anxiety. He knows that voice…__**knew**__ that voice.  
_

_He couldn't stop himself; his dream self didn't seem to know that Rin was already gone. _

"_Rin!" he cried back "Where are you?" he shouted his voice cracking. _

"_Over here! Please, oh please Kakashi, find me!" she begged. _

_And it didn't seem as if he had gone far in the fog, when he stumbled upon her, horror consumed his face. _

"_Rin!" he sobbed falling before her on his knees, daggers covered her breast and stomach, blood dribbled from her full lips. _

"_Why didn't you save me?" she pleaded. "I thought you would be there…" _

"_I'm sorry Rin!" He sobbed bringing her bleeding body to his chest. _

"_Would you protect me just as well, Kakashi" He froze in surprise. It wasn't Rins voice that spoke in his ear but Sakuras. Rins brown locks lightened and her tan features paled to rosy cheeks her blue pools turned green. _

"_Would you protect me just as well?" she repeated collapsing in death._

Kakashi awoke suddenly, falling from his chair. Sweat rolled down his forehead his chest heaved. He hoped he hadn't woken Sakura he stood up and realized he hadn't. He fell back onto the chair. "Oh, hell." He muttered tiredly.

_Sleeping fully dressed…not comfortable. Wait? Asleep?_

Sakura rolled over looking for her alarm clock by her bed.

_The last thing I remember was...how did I get back here?_

"What happened?" she asked a little disoriented.

"Good morning, Sakura." She sat up wide-awake now, recognizing the voice instantly.

"Kakashi?" she said looking to the source of the voice, which was the chair beside the bed. He was sitting in it backwards his hands and arms resting casually on the dark walnut back of the chair in front of him, regarding her evenly. He looked like he hadn't slept in days.

"Or should I say good night?" Kakashi countered tilting his head to one side motioning to the dark window.

She looked a little confused "Oh…what time is it?" she asked

"About ten at night," he said

Sakura looked down at her hands. Locks of pink hair falling forward into her face.

Her vision was suddenly blocked by a white plastic bottle, and a clear glass of water.

"Take them." He said shaking the pills making them rattle.

"Why don't you take them out of my face?" She said irritation creeping into her voice.

He wasn't startled by her harshness; he was well aware and accustomed to her quick temper. She snatched to bottle and took the pills not even taking the water, she swallowed them dry.

The jounin looked at her then the glass putting it down on the nightstand by her bed he regarded her, she looked away from him. He waited a moment.

"You scared me back there." He said finally. Sakura looked at him then, the irritation melting away to sorrow.

"Kakashi I'm sor—"

He stood up suddenly, interrupting her. He walked over to his stove pouring a cup of steaming hot tea.

"I'm sorry." She finished.

He still wasn't facing her, but his shoulders dropped as if he was letting out a deep breath.

He came back to her putting the steaming substance in her face.

"Here, drink this." He said evenly--blatantly not answering her apology.

She looked at the porcelain cup a moment before wrapping her hands around it, for a fleeting moment his hands brushed hers. He crossed his arms she looked at him then back at the cup, she sniffed it.

"Mint." She said

"You don't like mint?" he asked uncrossing his arms raising a hand to take the cup back.

"No, actually it's my favorite" she replied hastily "Thank you." She whispered sipping the warm drink and closing her eyes with relief. "It's really good." She said gratefully.

"Good." he said shortly leaving towards the kitchen.

Sakura threw the blankets off her with one hand holding the cup in the other trying not to spill it. She put her legs off to the side. She cringed the wood floor was cold. Sakura wondered for a moment where her shoes where and realized that they were on the floor at the end of the bed. He must have taken them off for her. She pondered on that a while, she hoped her feet didn't smell too bad. She smiled a little thinking about it.

Once her feet adjusted to the shock she walked a little shakily across the room to the kitchen area. She stumbled and a little tea splashed over the side of her cup onto the floor.

"Sorry about that."

"It's alright," he bent down to wipe it up quickly. She raised an eyebrow. "How about you get the rest of the floor while you're at it?" she teased.

"Don't push it." He retorted throwing the soiled rag in the hamper.

She saw the food set out on the table.

"Did you make this?" she asked with mild surprise.

"Actually I ordered it..." He scratched his head sheepishly

"I was going to bring it to you." He said shrugging. Suddenly he leapt into action pulling the chair out for her. "Here have a seat." He said she noticed the cheer he had painstakingly pressed into his words.

"Thank You, Kakashi," Sakura smiled a little, but her expression changed as she noticed a swirling black tattoo on his arm.

"So you were an anbu?" she asked, curious sitting down in her chair.

His shoulders stiffened and he released the back of the chair.

"For a time." He said turning around to look at her leaning back on the counter.

"Why did you quit?"

Kakashi twitched inwardly.

"Just wasn't my place." He shrugged resting his elbows on the counter leaning back casually. Regarding her in a cool way that made her heart pound quicker in her chest.

She cleared her throat noisily realizing she had been staring.

"Oh." She said, but she had a feeling it was something more than that.

"Go ahead and eat." He insisted a kindness in his voice that made her feel like he care more than she dared to think.

"Okay…but aren't you going to eat too?" she said fidgeting with her hair.

"I already did."

"I see." She sat down grabbing a rice roll for her plate. She really didn't have appetite. The roll felt heavy in her hand like an unnecessary burden.

"You shouldn't skip meals." He said crossing his arms and walking over to sit down in the chair across from her. She swallowed a sarcastic retort.

"I know it's just that the dishes and…" she shrugged not bothering to go on showing her disinterest in explaining her reasons mainly because she realized how ridiculous her 'reasons' were.

Kakashi just sat there looking at her, his hands enlaced together in front him. She acted unfazed as she munched on a strawberry. But she had to admit…her resolve was cracking like a cheap pot, quick.

The man was oblivious to Sakuras discomfort, he was lost in thought.

He was thinking of Rin. It was something he hated and loved at the same time. Her smile, the way she looked at him…it had been enough to take his breathe away. He regretted every moment that he hadn't let him self love her, and his failure to save her only embittered him more.

Rins' death had been the last blow to his heart that made him want die. He tightened his enlaced fingers in angst…if something were ever to happen to Sakura he didn't know what he would do.

The woman across for him, dropped her chopsticks loudly onto the table. "Would you please stop that?"

"What?"

"Just staring at me"

"Why?" he said still looking at her with that brown eye of his.

"Because it's unnerving."

"Sorry." He looked away from her focusing elsewhere, she thought she would be satisfied with this, but she found herself the exact opposite.

Quiet enveloped the room Sakura adjusted her plates location trying to center it until finally she worked up the courage to look up at him focusing her viridian eyes on the man across form her, who still focused his sights away from her.

"What…what were you thinking?" she asked

He looked back at her.

"I was thinking…" he paused "I was thinking about a good friend of mine."

"Who?" she asked tilting her head interested.

"A medical ninja named Rin, you remind me of her." He uttered broken glass forming in her throat; Sakura recognized the deep sadness within the emotionless draw of his. She immediately felt sorry for pressing him—she hadn't meant to dredge up feelings like this.

"I'm sorry Kakashi…I didn't mean." she said her voice, shaking a little.

He looked at her. He begged himself not to speak anymore to let the words float away and fade into nothing. But he found himself unable to do it. For some reason he felt like he could tell her anything, and that would make it better.

"You're both strong, good hearted, caring…and beautiful." The jounin had barely parted with the words when it came bearing down on him like a heavy weight of realization… exactly what he had said, he froze a nervous pounding enveloping his chest.

She stiffened just staring at him. "I see." She said dryly unable to say more, very aware that he had just called her beautiful. She fidgeted with the rice and noodles on her plate.

_It was the way you said it. _

He averted his gaze suddenly finding her oven, extremely fascinating.

He looked back and to his utter dismay, found that her emerald eyes were very focused on him, he could almost feel the curiosity. He trembled crossing his arms. The ticking clock above his door was like a major explosion every second they sat across form each other, not speaking.

Kakashi cleared his throat. "Maybe I should go." He stood up she did as well she blocked his path stopping him.

She reached up hesitating a little before peeling away his mask. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest. Both of the mans eyes were wide. They found themselves again unable to move. After a moment Sakura, on her tiptoes tasted his lips tenderly. Kakashi leaned forward following her lips they met again and kissed unrestrained this time. She traced his jaw line leaning in closer on his body. He hesitated with her body so close but found he could not deny her and complied by wrapping his arms around her waist running his fingers through her pink strands.

* * *

A shadow flashes passed looming gravestones then stops before one. The Anbu glances up, her mask that of a lion. She motions to the shadows, others creep forward. They carry shovels. 

They begin to dig into the dark earth silently, not as comrades but as those coming to complete a job needing to be done.

They stop as they hit stone. Together they reach around hoisting the coffin out above the reaches of hanging roots. A panther comes forward releasing the seal that kept the stone lid unmovable. The cracks hiss and cold smoke pours through them. They slide the heavy top off catching it and laying it gently on the muddied grass.

The lion mask coughs not from the stench of a corpse but out of poor health.

Though their faces are unseen it was understood there was no sympathy for the lion.

"The seal is weakening once again," the voice of an old woman emits from the lion's mask. "I should die as my sister did to revive him." Her words were meaningless but she spoke them anyway.

All attentions where drawn to the sudden appearance of a dark figure. Sais features revealed themselves in the moonlight. He had been following them and he had seen enough.

"What are you doing? And under whose orders?" He asked and though he didn't show it he was deeply unnerved. Why would anbu be digging up graves?

Kunai were thrown. He just barely dodged the ones aimed at his vital points. One got him the leg, the other in the arm.

He switched gears quickly, and returned the favor. Unlucky for them and lucky for him. He was one of the best marksmen in Konaha.

Three of the five fell including the one in the lion mask.

"That was a mistake." One said coming towards him.

"Oh?" Sai said raising an eyebrow as he took a scroll from his pocket he brought the drawn lions on the scroll to life. They devoured one anbu by ganging up on him. He didn't scream, at first. Sai released the beasts they melted away leaving trails of black ink on the ground, and the anbu bleeding on the ground. "Tell me," he started just as he was hit in the neck with a Kunai.

But his image disappeared in a cloud of smoke revealing how foolish the remaining anbu had been. Already an arm had reached across the panther's neck.

"What would bring a ninja to arms against his comrade like this?" Sai asked, his short at the anbus throat. He was careless and hadn't noticed the signs, his captive-and his source of information went literally—up in smoke.

Before he could curse himself for his foolishness, he was distracted by the rumbling emitting from the coffin the mysterious band of anbu had unearthed.

He ran to the coffin looking in he was horrified, but not by a rotted corpse but by the unchanged features of the boy he had known as Uzamaki Naruto. A haunted feeling and an uneasy one crept into his mind he felt as if he must get far away from here. Never had he felt such fear.

"What have they done?" he breathed.

The ground shook as if in reply.

* * *

My dad turned the internet off before I could fix the little chapter thingy--which I don't know how the hell it happened anyway. So here's chapter ten. I leave for vacation the day after tomorrow so the next chapter won't be up for a the least two weeks. Unless they don't need me to baby-sit tomorrow. Don't kill me! If I had lots of money I would get a lap top but alas...Hope you enjoyed! 


	11. Hero Reborn

I don't know how many of you are still reading this after so long, but I finally got my act together. Here you go!

_**Hero Reborn**_

To Sais' utter dismay the 'corpse' sat up looking over at him with the eyes of a fox. The white garb didn't seem to suit the boy he had known, even in death.

"How can this be?" he whispered his voice becoming uncharacteristically tainted with emotion.

The air literally sizzled with heat. Sai started to sweat.

* * *

Meanwhile Kakashi and Sakura abruptly broke their embrace.

"Sorry I--" she started nervously.

Kakashi looked up at her placing his mask back on his face.

"No--" he started but was interrupted by a rumble that shook the walls around them.

"I have a bad feeling about this. Let's go," he stated plainly

She nodded following after him.

* * *

Sai backed away weary of this development.

"Sai?" the boy croaked his voice a rasp, he coughed a couple times then began to convulse as if he was going to throw up.

The ninja lowered his guard a little letting his kunai rest a little lower.

"Naruto? Is that really you?"

"I--" He choked again. Then he began to chuckle. Then he began to laugh right out. The blond boys laugh sent chills of warning and fear through Sai who raised his knife again.

"Those won't save you my boy. Not against me!" the voice of the nine tales growled as it's form engulfed Narutos body.

The anbus eyes widened in realization. "They saved it..." he growled with disgust. "They saved the demon at the cost of Narutos life!"

The nine tales heard him and laughed. "He was a brave fellow I'll give him that, but I really could care less about the brat that trapped me all those years. He outlived his use, and now I'm free from his nagging little soul, and the first one I'll kill will be you!" it sneered standing up out of his coffin.

The blond hairs on 'Narutos'" head began to sizzled the smell of burning flesh and hair filled the atmosphere. Sai could feel the heat.

"So there is nothing left of him?"

Narutos face contorted. "Not much, humans don't take being dead so well."

"You still need him to live, if he dies you die."

"True..." the demon speculated letting his flames die a little in thought. The tails dispersed.

Sai leapt forward only to be swatted away by a burning tail as it suddenly appeared.

He cried out, the burn was bad. He observed angry red mark that covered his shoulder inwardly grimacing.

"I'm going to finish you off." it smiled as it came to him it's fang protruding with menace.

Kakashi jumped forward shooting a water dragon at the flaming demon causing steam to fill the air.

The silver haired ninja took that as an opportunity to grab Sai and jump away.

"Sakura!" he looked at her face suddenly noticing the tears falling out of her wide green eyes.

"Naruto." she uttered her body shivering as she looked at the burning visage of her comrade.

A moment of sadness and care passed through the Kakashis eyes but he realized he could not let her become like this, it was code, and it was the only way.

"Sakura!" he yelled.

"I need you to pull it together, that's an order." He said his eye narrowing at her. She stared at Naruto the tears came down slowly.

"Sakura, dammit!" he dropped Sai and ran at her just barely pushing her out of the way of the demon foxes strike.

She blinked "That's--!"

"That is our enemy. Focus."

"How can you--" She started her emotions pouring out.

"Don't." he interrupted before she could finish. "We need to do what we need to do to protect or village."

"But you can't deny who that was, what they did!" She protested the tears flying from her shaking head.

Kakashi sighed with frustration "I know that! Just as well as you do! But we need to protect the village people may die, we can't hesitate...we have to be strong. No matter what."

She pursed her lips gazing at him. "I know. Let's do it." She wiped the tears away hastily.

"Good." he deadpanned.

"I'm going to go to him." She said the flames of Narutos burning visage reflecting in her eyes.

A moment of silence passed as Kakashi began to slowly realize what she said.

"Sakura—what?!" He cried out as his outstretched hand was shrugged away by a dismissive shoulder. She looked the demon before her in the eyes.

"I won't lose you again, Naruto," she whispered to herself.

She tossed a scroll from her belt.

"Naruto! I'm not giving up on you!" She cried out adamant eyes focused on him completely. She was going to give this her all. She was tired of losing.

There was a hesitation in his burning body and it gave Sakura that glimmer of hope she needed.

"Seal!" she cried the scroll morphed into a blue mist and surrounded the fox. It growled and tossed.

_Where am I? Who am I? _It was a voice echoing faintly in the foxes container.

"Naruto!"

_The body inside twitched _

_That's me! I'm Naruto! _

"_Sakura!"_

The foxes mouth twisted as if to speak hands raised to its' ears.

"Sa...Sa...kura!" He coughed.

Tears fell from her eyes she went to Naruto running.

He held out a hand, stopping her from coming to him. "No! It's not safe for you." his voice was hoarse.

Kakashi stepped in throwing a scroll of his own.

"Damn, you are tough Naruto. Time to help you control that demon of yours" Kakashi said in that matter-of-fact way of his.

Narutos' face contorted as the demon wriggled inside him trying to gain control and incinerate his friends.

The scroll took affect and Naruto passed out. Kakashi gave a sigh of relief. "

"That could have been much worse—Sakura--" he was cut of abruptly.

"We have to get him to the hospital. Quickly." She said scooping him up in her arms she was gone quicker than Kakashi could blink.

Kakashi sighed heavily. "Yes, but I would like to know what the hell is going on." he said to himself.

"Me too." Sai said appearing from the shadows giving Kakashi a barely visible start.

"Ah, Sai you wouldn't happen to know anything at all would you?"

"Well, I know that the black ops were involved."

Kakashi scoffed "When are they not?"

Sai gave a small smile of irony "Yeah." he agreed.

Sais' smile faded and turned to a frown "Though, I do fear that there is cause to believe that the ops made some sort of deal with the Akatsuki." he cleared his throat. "I don't know what the hell they were gaining from this."

Kakashi heard the mans teeth grind.

"Anyway, for now we have a friend to visit." the silver haired ninja gave Sai that trademark smile his.

Sai returned the favor. They swiftly made their way back into the leaf village. With heavy hearts and minds.

Kakashi tried to ignore the cold feeling of dread welling in his chest.

_Please, whatever happens, I hope it does not bring you pain, Sakura._

* * *

  
Ah, question. Do you guys (those of you who are still reading this.) what do you want next, more drama or more action/anbu, akatsuki stuff? Later.

P.S. I had originally planned to have Naruto killed in this, but I thought we'd had just about enough of the sadness and death so...HE LIVES! Happy smiles? No?


	12. Seeing You

**Seeing You  
**

The sun streamed in the small line in between the curtains of Konohas hospital room three o' six.

Sakuras' delicate hand pulled the beige curtain back a little, revealing the bars behind them. The shinobi hadn't gone home and it was already morning.

She breathed out. Naruto was in the high security part of the hospital that she herself had funded and pushed for at council meetings. This woman wasn't about to let him go, not ever again. This time she would not fail to protect him especially since she'd been given a second chance.

"Sakura?" he croaked from his bed causing her to jump a little. She tried to calm her excited heart.

_He's really here. _

She looked a him with a soft expression. "What is it, Naruto?" she asked loving the fact that she could say his name and not have such a hopeless feeling of regret and sadness grip at her chest so violently.

She did not think it was possible that he could ever understand how badly she had wanted to hear his voice after so long. It was still scary though...she just couldn't stop thinking that he was going to leave her again.

"You don't know how much I missed you Naruto...how much we've all missed you," she said softly walking over to him, sitting down in the fold out chair she had sat beside his bed to watch him. To her surprise he didn't bombard her with questions like: 'What day is it?', 'How long has it been?' and so on. Instead his face retained a thoughtful state his eyebrows furrowed. She looked at him a little worriedly.

Silence she mused, did not suit this blond boy she knew. "I..." she tried. Her eyes went wide. The bed ridden Naruto had his fingers enlaced in her hair.

"There was something that I regretted not doing before I 'died', Sakura," he said his blue eyes focused solely on her. Sakura smiled a little unsure "What's that Naruto?" she couldn't believe how thick her throat had become, it was not possible to speak now.

He sat up wincing a little. She wanted to tell him to lay back and not strain himself but she only managed to think it.

The blond shinobi put his hand on the back of her head. It was almost like everything had stopped. It was almost as if even the clock on the wall just stopped ticking for a moment. Sakura was sure her heart had stopped. The silence was deafening. Before the pink haired doctor knew his lips were on hers in a kiss.

The quiet in the room was broken by the door opening. Kakashi was standing there, not sure what to do. Sai raised an eyebrow.

"What--" he started but abruptly stopped as Kakashi closed the door quietly closing his eye as it clicked shut.

"I think we should come back at a more appropriate time." he stated a little bewilderment seeping in his usually quiet drawl.

"Kakashi?" Sai asked not understanding it at all. The man had already turned around to leave, his hands in his pockets. He gave a little wave.

Naruto broke the kiss gently looking at her.

_He...he just..kissed me. _She thought to herself not quite understanding the knot tying in her stomach.

"Sakura-chan, what's wrong?" He asked

She shook her head harshly "N-nothing! It's fine. I was just a little surprised, that's all." She thumped him on the head a little playfully "Why do you have to be so stupid, Naruto!" she was chuckling a little looking at him then down at her lap then up again at him--her long lost friend sitting there looking at her. Without her even realizing it she had started to cry. Just these silent tears running down her cheeks. Then her body was shaking considerably. Naruto jumped in his bed.

"Oh! Sakura I'm sorry! Please don't cry! You're right that was wrong, and stupid!" he put his hand on her back trying to comfort here. Before she knew it her sobs had turned to laughter.

Naruto didn't quite know what to do, and he was surprised as she leapt forward embracing him in a hug. "You haven't changed! You're just the same old irrational, idiot Naruto I know!" she yelled holding him even more tightly. "Please don't ever change! Just always be you!" she yelled through sobs. Her teeth grit in her mouth, and she tasted the salt from her tears.

"Ah, it's okay just don't cry anymore." he said uneasily scratching the back of his head.

She broke their embrace and studied him intently. "Your age didn't change either." She said.

"What-What do you mean Sakura-chan? My...how long has it been!" he cried literally leaping up so he was standing up in bed.

"Sit, sit!" Sakura scolded.

He obeyed sitting back down on the bed, albeit extremely alert--looking at her expectantly.

"I guess you were in some sort of stasis when we found you, sort of like a way to keep you alive without feeding you and such--"

"How!? I've never heard of anything like that?" The boy shouted.

"It's still quite a mystery to us," Sakura refrained from telling him that human souls had been used in this process. She knew he wouldn't take that well and he was already in a delicate state. She was going to protect him. Her eyes went wide suddenly.

"Wait, what was the last thing you remember?" she asked.

He looked at her. Finally his working mouth spoke. "I guess I remember us going on a mission and well I died and—Sasuke! That bastard!" Naruto clenched his fist "He betrayed us! That idiot I'll--" Sakura silenced him with a finger to his lips, he looked at her bewildered.

"He's gone." she deadpanned.

"Oh..." he said scratching the back of his head a little unsure of what to say now.

He tried to give that nervous assuring smile of his "I guess a lot has changed since I've been gone. Huh?"

"Yes, more than you know." she replied.

* * *

Kakashi sat down at his table his chin rested in his hands. 

What am I feeling? He wondered to himself.

Am I jealous? Bah! No. What was I think before. The mans hands clenched tighter.

Just pretend everything that's happened these last few days didn't happen. It's obvious you were just taking advantage of her broken heart. Give up, it's pointless to...to what? Was he going to say love? No, not possible of all things this ninja was NOT in love. The mere thought was ridiculous.

Kakashi pounded the table.

"Why am I so damn pissed!" he cried out, his eye went wide. _What in the hell is wrong?_ He roughly stood up throwing the chair from him irritably. He was going to visit Naruto and he was going to stop these childish thoughts and actions. He furrowed his brow with embarrassment. Sai, had...hopefully he didn't think something foolish.

_Like that you're in love with Sakura._

* * *

Sakura sat a tray of steaming ramen in front of Naruto. 

"Thank you! Sakura you really are the best! "Itadakimasu!" he cried.

She gave him a bemused grin "You really are something..." she said resting her elbows on his bed, moving the chair back ever so slightly, and staring contently at him. She felt like here world was so much brighter now. Her reverie was interrupted by the sound of the door to the room opening.

"Kakashi-kun!" She cried out, she didn't notice Naruto choke on his ramen. "I would have thought you would have been here sooner. Sai was here earlier, and I thought..." She stood up looking at him her smile quickly turned to an uncertain frown.

"Kakashi...kun?" she inquired not sure why he was acting this way.

"Ehh!" Naruto choked again, looking at Sakura like she was crazy.

"Wha-wha, what are you calling him?!" He said not understanding the situation. Actually, Sakura was surprised he had noticed (which to tell the truth she hadn't given a second thought to) Besides, he was usually quite dense to things like this.

She looked a little unsure of what to say.

Sakura thought trying to think of something, anything to say that wouldn't sound out of place—or stupid.

When she finally started to speak it was Kakashi who interceded.

"It has been a while, Naruto." He said giving Naruto that smile that the pink haired shinobi—hated.

"Kakashi?" she questioned uncertainty leaking into her words.

"What Sakura-chan?" he asked a little to innocently.

"_What?_" she said trying to sound passive.

Suddenly Kakashis' stare became cold, so cold that she was momentarily startled. He passed her confused form to stand by Narutos' bedside.

"Welcome back, Naruto," he said with a cheerful demeanor. The blond shinobi unaware what was going on between the two just smiled back at him.

"I can't wait to get out of here and back on duty!" He said enthusiastically.

Kakashi let out deep sigh. "I guess it is true what they say about some things never changing." he said slumping his shoulders in tired manner.

"Well, I have some things to investigate, you know orders and such. I'll be leaving you two here. Naruto, please have a report filled out promptly to give to the Hokage. It is very important" He said shaking his finger in a scolding manner, and was gone in a poof of smoke before Sakura, who was quickly becoming a little more than warm with fury--could choke him.

The bed ridden shinobi winced and threw his head up "Why? Can't I just get one break? I mean I was just dead, you'd think I would at least get a 'hey, you're not dead' party or something..." he stopped at noticing Sakuras' stance.

"S-sakura-chan? What's wrong?"

"That man I swear! He didn't even--ahhh!" she pulled at her pink strands "I just don't understand him at all!" she groaned.

Naruto watched her pacing form with a puzzled expression. _Why is she so angry wasn't that Kakashi-sensei, as usual?_

Luckily the door opened then and Shizune and Tsunade entered the room. Sakura tried her hardest to hold back her annoyance, but even before she spoke it was way too obvious.

"Watch him please! I'll be back I just have to go to the bathroom." She said throwing up her arms.

"What was with that aura?" Shizune asked raising her eyebrows.

Tsunade shrugged before turning to Naruto.

"I see it is true. I wouldn't believe it until I saw it with my own eyes." The fifth said disbelief still lacing her words.

"Welcome back to the living, Naruto-kun!" Shizune cried out her own eyes wide with shock.

"When do I get out of here?" he asked quickly smoothing out his hospital top.

"Hmm, I see death has truly not changed you eh? Still as energetic and oblivious as ever," She said plainly, a smirk playing at her lips.

"Yeah, I guess. So when can I get back on duty?" He asked.

"I'm afraid we're going to have to keep your resurrection a secret for a while." She stated as a matter of factly.

"What?! How can we do that, why?!" he shouted standing up and shaking his fist at her.

"Stop shouting you're giving me a headache, dumb ass!" She shouted back.

"Who are you call a dumb ass, you old hag!"

Naruto glared at her. She glared back. They both stopped glaring and looked at Shizune who was laughing now.

"What's so funny?" the both yelled in unison. Shizune sniffed and wiped her crying eyes.

She directed her gaze to Naruto. "I really... missed you too, Naruto-kun," she said. She was still laughing hysterically. "I think you should leave Shizune, just for a moment." She said her eye twitching a little. The black haired woman laughed all the way out of the room. "I guess people take things differently..." she mumbled to herself a finger resting on her chin.

Tsunade and Naruto both looked back at each other seriously now. Tsunade straighted her back before speaking.

"Naruto, I know you're anxious, but this is the best decision for now. No, I haven't exactly figured out how I'm going to 'hide' you but...for now don't expect to be doing something like jumping all around Konaha screaming something stupid like: "I'm alive, I'm alive!" the Hokage motioned with her hands and stuck out her tongue rolling her eyes in a crazy way.

"Eh, don't do that it makes your face look even more ugly than usual...and I wouldn't of done that," he grumbled crossing his arms. Her eyes narrowed for a moment, and she made a slight fist until she seemed to realize herself. She let out a sigh. "This is a very strange and complicated situation...time has passed while you were gone most of us had already...Please don't argue for once."

Naruto looked at her with an expression that she had never seen before. Silence enveloped the room and the atmosphere became very heavy.

"Tsunade-sama, I'm sorry. I'm sorry, for questioning you," he let out a collective breath. "I guess, I just wanted things to go back to how they were, but I realize—despite however I try, nothing will be the same, and I accept that. Forgive me, I will do as you say."

She looked at him straight forwardly.

"There is nothing to be forgiven. For now just rest. I'm sure Sakura and you have a lot to catch up on. For now, excuse me." She bowed and was gone, and Naruto was left alone with his harsh reality.

* * *

Sakura ran the water into her hands and splashed it on her face. 

She punched the towel dispenser denting it throughly.

"Eh? Great. Good job, Sakura." She mumbled flinging the door behind her as she exited the bathroom into the hallway, marching back to room three o' six.

"And why are--" Ino began, before she was quickly cut off.

"Nobody!" Sakura growled then realizing herself put her hand to her mouth. "Please, excuse me Ino."

"Hmm. It's okay. I'm sure you've just been under a lot of stress lately don't worry I'm you'll sort things out. Maybe I could lend you an ear maybe over tea tonight? I'm free." She smiled assuredly.

"Yes, thank you for understanding. I would like that." Sakura bowed and Ino did likewise.

Once they were separated Sakura inwardly chastised herself for her temper, which, made her think of Kakashi which in turn, made her angry again.

_Why are things like this? I don't need tea, I need some saki. _

* * *

Yeah, I went back and read my story again, and boy are there so many mistakes! I want to fix them. Maybe I'll do that after I finish the story. Though, the thing about that is my old computer died so I would kinda have to write them all over again. Urg. Well, thank you for reviews! Later. 


	13. The Difference

Sakura tried to clear her mind as she walked imminently closer to Narutos room. She let out a breath before putting her hand on the doors shockingly cold handle and opening the door.

"Right where I left you." She said giving the bed ridden Naruto an uneasy smile.

Narutos face flushed beet red. "About earlier..." he choked a little on his words.

"Forget about it Naruto." She said waving her hand dismissively as she sat back down on the chair she had sat by his bedside.

"Okay." he replied readily, looking down at his hands that were clasped on his lap.

An awkward silence followed while neither of them knew what to say.

"So," they both started simultaneously.

"Go ahead." Sakura said tiredly, since she really hadn't had anything to say anyway.

"Well, Tsunade already briefed me on what's been happening mission wise, but she didn't tell me what was going on with you? You look a little tired Sakura-chan." he said with care and concern.

"I am. Naruto. I'm just tired." she sighed rubbing her temples, and resting her elbows on her lap.

* * *

Kakashi gazed up at the sun that had simmered down to an orange cool orb. 

He had his hands in his pockets sullenly walking along. He was hoping his little white lie about being on a mission would keep Sakura away from him. Besides, she had to keep care of Naruto. Which, despite his denials and great efforts to ignore it-the jealously dug it's way into his mind. It was so laughable! What right did he have to claim Sakura? She obviously doesn't really harbor feelings for him, that, and their relationship would be strange.

The ninja saw a rock and in his tiff kicked it with his shoe. It clicked along the pebbles of konahas back streets and landed in a small puddle of water.

"Now, what did that rock do to you?" Anko said looking at him bemusedly leaning on a wall her gray eyes focused on him, demurely like a lazy cat.

Kakashi gave her a cold silence.

"Oh, stingy and cold—as usual." She said standing up off the wall to put her hands on her hips.

The man didn't want to talk to her, he never recalled being able to talk to anybody. He was extremely anti-social and he wasn't about to change suddenly just because he might be having some strange delusions all of the sudden.

"Are you really going to ignore me like that. I mean really? You're always so rude." she said tilting her head to one side in a sad manner.

"Lady troubles?" she insisted now walking up beside him.

Kakashi couldn't help but jump a little.

"Don't you have something better to do?" He asked her in a quiet but condescending tone. She was a little surprised by the acid in his words.

"No, not really." she said still not losing her humor, and a little intrigued by his uncharacteristic show of emotion. Usually he remained good natured and stoic. "Come on, you can tell me." she insisted. Suddenly he was gone in a plume of mystic smoke. "That man." Anko harrumphed.

"Hey, there you are!" Euraka said suddenly appearing. "We're having a teachers meeting."

"Very well." Anko said immediately becoming professional.

* * *

Sakura finally left Naruto. She was tired and just wanted to sleep. A part of her just wanted to hover over Naruto forever making sure he never got hurt. Tsunade who was one step ahead of Sakura, assured her that there would be someone with him twenty-four seven, and that she would not permit Sakura to become crazy over protecting her long lost friend. She told her that once the replacement guard came, she was to leave. So, when the Anbu arrived, Sakura left--albeit reluctantly. 

The pink haired woman was sick and tired and she just felt ill. Kakashi consumed her mind suddenly and she had the urge to see him. She stopped the pain in her chest became almost unbearable. She felt like something was wrong. She had to go see him, but he was on a mission wasn't he?

Tsunade came around the corner and perked up when she saw Sakura.

"Well, how's the boy?" she asked.

"Is Kakashi back?" Sakura asked inadvertantly ignoring the Hokages question.

"Back?" she said raising an eyebrow.

"Well, from his mission?" Sakura said as if she was talking to a slow individual.

"I never sent him on a mission. Sai--"

Sakura pounded passed the Hokage without a word.

"Sakura?" the blond inquired placing a thoughtful hand on her chin.

* * *

Kakashi stumbled into his apartment—drunk. It was irresponsible of him, and he felt extremely stupid now that he couldn't even walk a strait line, but what was done was done. He regretted it now and would regret it even more tomorrow. 

A knock sounded on his door.

"Kakashi?" it was Sakuras voice inquiring. If he wasn't mistaken she sounded a little angry.

"I'm not here!" he said before thinking. He cursed inwardly. Why did he have to be such a dumb drunk?

There was a silence. Then the door opened and Sakura stood there looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Was that a joke?" she asked. The anger was evident in every aspect of her body.

"Nope." he slurred dropping on his couch.

She watched him now a little bemused. Her anger had quelled slightly at the spectacle before her.

"Are you drunk?" she asked crossing her arms.

"Nope." he said simply trying to cross his legs, and after failing the second time he settled on just stretching them out.

"You've got to be kidding me right now." She said rolling her eyes. Her former sensei was always warning her about the dangers of drinking too much. He had scolded her when she drank too much on her eighteenth birthday a couple years ago.

"Ah.." he exhaled and began to undress himself, or he tried to take his shirt off but he gave up when he couldn't get it around his forest green jacket.

The pink haired shinobi walked over to him, giving him a somewhat superior grin.

"What's wrong with you? You never drink." she said her eyebrow raised—as if permanently set there.

He groaned and pulled his mask off so it rested around his neck.

"I feel like shit," he slapped a hand on his forehead. "Actually, I think I feel worse than that..." he looked at her with his gray eyes sullenly.

Sakura sat beside him on the coach resting her hands in her lap.

"Do you love Naruto?" he asked suddenly breaking the quiet. "I mean..." he said looking at her like she had kicked him in the shins. Sakura took a moment to process what he had said.

"Well, of course I love Naruto. Why wouldn't I?" she asked, blinking her green eyes at him.

"Ah, I thought so." he slurred a little trailing with the 'o' at the end of so.

"Maybe you should get some rest Kakashi?" she suggested putting a lock of hair behind her ear, as she looked away from him. She turned back to face him with surprise, at the sensation of his fingers in her hair. He looked so sad. Kakashi scooted towards her, until his thigh was up against hers.

"What does it mean when you kiss me?" he asked referring to the kiss they shared, leaning over her--forcing her to move back a little.

Sakuras mouth worked. He was so close to her now, and she could smell the sake on him. Even so that strong smell mixed with the air in a blur of sensation as he leaned over and placed his lips on hers and en-laced his fingers in her hair. Sakura kissed him back and just when she thought she was going to run out of air, he released her.

"What does it mean?" he asked. "What's the difference?" he asked his face still only inches from hers so that their breaths mingled.

"Difference?" she asked, confused.

"Between me and Naruto?" he asked before his head fell on her shoulder, unconscious.

"I love you." she said, even though he couldn't hear her.

* * *

Sorry for shortness and lateness! 


	14. Waking Up

Sakura awakened with a line of drool coming from her mouth, and an unpleasant pain in her back.

For a moment she didn't know where she was.

She looked down and saw an arm across her chest, which, was attached to the one and only—Kakashi.

"Hey," she said her voice still rough from sleep. He didn't move.

"He looks so handsome, especially when he's asleep like that." she whispered a small smile on her lips.

She decided she didn't want to wake him up. The woman slipped down under his arm, she fell to her knees on the floor in front of the coach. The position was very awkward and she found that in her tired state, she lost her balance and fell forward. She wacked her nose on the coffee table. The pain was first, then the blood spurted out of her nose.

"Holy freaking crap..." she hissed under her breath. She stood up and began lightly stomping her foot on the floor. Sakura held her hand to her nose at first, then she pinched it to stop the blood from dripping onto the floor. The shinobi walked quickly to the kitchen and grabbed a napkin. As she released the pressure to replace her hand with the tissue, she winced.

"Ouch." she said. Even though she had put up with so many worse wounds, she couldn't help the tears the sprouted inadvertently in her green eyes.

Kakashi who had ended up laying his head completely down on the coach, stirred. His eyes fluttered open.

"Sakura?" he said unaware of what in the world was going on. He wasn't even sure why in the heck she was here. He only saw her standing in the kitchen.

She turned around to look at him.

"It's okay, Kakashi," she said holding her non-bloodied hand out to him. Except it sounded more like:

"Ib obay, Abashi,"

He registered the blood on the hand holding the napkin to her face.

"What did you do?" he shouted jumping up to stand beside her, and immediately regretting it by the blood rush to his head. He wavered a little as he came to her.

"I hib my nobe." she muttered.

The silver haired man took a hold of the hand she held to her nose.

"Let me see it." he said gently.

"It's fine, it's fine!" she told him, a pained expression etched in her face.

"Let me see it," He still insisted.

"It's okay, I can just—" she sighed raggedly as she relented, and allowed him to remove her hand. Kakashi caught the napkin in his other hand as he reached up with the other to turn her face side to side.

"That looks bad, I'll get you some ice." he said as he was already opening his freezer to look.

"I could just heal it, you know?" she said.

He stopped his rummaging of the freezer. He scratched his mussed gray hair sheepishly.

"Right, it's okay I don't have any ice anyway..." he stopped the smile on his face and rubbed his temples

"Why is the freezer light so bright?" he said rubbing his eyes.

"You got drunk stupid idiot." she said crossing her arms as she looked at him in a annoyed matter.

His eyes widened he smacked his lips and concluded the taste of alcohol.

"We didn't...?"

Sakura tossed her bloodied napkin at him.

"No!" For heavens sake, I wasn't drunk too!" she said irritated.

He chuckled a little awkwardly.

"Right." he said scratching the back of his head.

Sakura looked down at her feet sighing.

"I guess I should get going huh?"

"Yes, I think you should." he said a distant look in his eyes.

She turned and walked to the door. It shut silently, but it sounded extremely loud to Kakashi.

He pulled the mask over his face.

This shinobi had business to attend to, hung over or not.

* * *

Sakura rubbed her nose a minute allowing the pain to set in a little more before she allowed the green energy to heal it. Sakuras deft hand fell back down to her side. She couldn't help but feel empty—somehow.

"Sakura-chan!" a voice she knew all to well yelled.

"Ino." Sakura said a little surprised.

"What are you doing way out here in this side of town isn't your apartment on the east side?"

"Yes, I uh I had some things to take care of." she said her mind still a little cluttered.

"Oh? What kinds of things?" Ino asked giving her a cocked stare.

"It's nothing. Don't worry about it." Sakura shrugged tightly hinting she wasn't about to indulge in Inos gossip hungry character. Ino had always been that way--it's just her loss of love had made her a really jaded individual, and Sakura didn't know whether she was friend or foe half the time.

"Alright, alright." Ino placated. "Don't get all bent outta shape. For goodness sake." Ino smirked.

The blond watched a little too intently at Sakura as she walked down the cobbled streets toward the Hokages estate.

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A/N Time to get this ball rolling again! Very brief I know. Just trying to get back into this. Next chapter should be up within the week. Thanks for the reviews guys.

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